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 Tompkins (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 Tompkins. 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.
Tompkins is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Calhoun, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Lenawee, Livingston & Washtenaw.
Below are the counties that are near Tompkins. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Tompkins:
- Jackson County (The home county of Tompkins)
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Berryville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Berryville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Rives Junction
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rives Junction is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rives Junction
- Parma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sandstone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sandstone is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandstone
- Woodville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Woodville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Springport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Lake
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Devereaux
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Spring Arbor
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Jackson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- Concord
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Michigan Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Duck Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Duck Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Lake
- Albion
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Rice Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Rice Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Creek
- Marengo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Marengo is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marengo
- Homer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Marshall
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Ceresco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ceresco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceresco
- Pennfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Tekonsha
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brownlee Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Clinton Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Clinton Village is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Village
- Gunnisonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Gunnisonville is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunnisonville
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Charlesworth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Charlesworth is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesworth
- Petrieville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Petrieville is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrieville
- Eaton Rapids
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kingsland is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsland
- Dimondale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Charlotte
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Potterville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Windsor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Windsor is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Windsor
- Olivet
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ainger
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Millett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Millett is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millett
- Millett has also been known as:
- Milletts
- Bellevue
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hillsdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Moscow
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Moscow is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
- Mosherville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Mosherville is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosherville
- Somerset Center
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Somerset Center is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset Center
- Somerset
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Jerome
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Litchfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jonesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- North Adams
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- North Adams is located in Hillsdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Adams
- Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
- Allen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Onondaga
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Leslie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- North Leslie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- North Leslie is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leslie
- Bunker Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bunker Hill is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
- Fitchburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Fitchburg is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchburg
- Mason
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Dansville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Holt
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Stockbridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Pollok ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pollok is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollok
- Pollok has also been known as:
- Pollock
- Meridian
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Meridian is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
- Lansing
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lenawee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Cement City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cambridge Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cambridge Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Junction
- Addison
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Addison Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Addison Junction is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addison Junction
- Devils Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Devils Lake is located in Lenawee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Lake
- Manitou Beach - Devils Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Manitou Beach
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Plainfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Plainfield is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield
- Gregory
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Unadilla
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Unadilla is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unadilla
- Parkers Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Parkers Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers Corners
- Kaiserville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Kaiserville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaiserville
- Chalkerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Chalkerville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalkerville
- Chalkerville has also been known as:
- Chalkers Landing
- Anderson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Anderson is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Hell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hell is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hell
- Hell has also been known as:
- Hi Land Lake
- Highland Lake
- Hiland Lake
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hell <1>
- Pinckney
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Washtenaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Sharon Hollow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sharon Hollow is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon Hollow
- Chelsea
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Rowes Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rowes Corner is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowes Corner
- Manchester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Tompkins, see our County-by-County Page for Tompkins.
Cemeteries Near Tompkins ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Tompkins.
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 Tompkins - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Tompkins covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Tompkins Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Lincoln Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lincoln - Pomeroy Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Brown Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pope Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pope Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the east of Springport.
- The Pope Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pope UMC Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1969650 <3>
- Fairview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rives Junction Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pherdun Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Draper Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Walker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Griffith Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Campbell Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (326 more) ...
- Upton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Onondaga Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onondaga Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Onondaga Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Onondaga.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #358831 <3>
- Bond 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Tompkins had a population of 82 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Tompkins, with the one closest to Tompkins listed first.
- Berryville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Berryville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Onondaga
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Rives Junction
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rives Junction is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rives Junction
- Leslie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Parma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sandstone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sandstone is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandstone
- Springport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Devereaux
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Devereaux is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devereaux
- Charlesworth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Charlesworth is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlesworth
- Aurelius
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Aurelius is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurelius
- Spring Arbor
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Jackson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jackson is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,374 people
- Former name for Jackson:
- Jacksonopolis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Roots
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Roots is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roots
- Eaton Rapids
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Eden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Eden is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Tompkins. See our List of 1890's Communities around Tompkins.
Newspapers Published in Tompkins ...
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 130 newspapers that have been published in the area around Tompkins.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Tompkins, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Tompkins.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Tompkins:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Hillsdale County
- Ingham County
- Lenawee County
- Livingston County
- Washtenaw 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> | 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- Tompkins) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Tompkins, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |