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 Torch River (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 Torch River. 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 Torch River ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Torch River: Torch Riv.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Torch River. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Torch River.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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.
Torch River is primarily located in Kalkaska County. A portion of Torch River extends into Antrim 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 Kalkaska County: Antrim, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Missaukee, Otsego, Roscommon & Wexford.
Below are the counties that are near Torch River. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Torch River:
- Kalkaska County (The home county of Torch River)
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Rapid City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Barker Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Barker Creek is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Creek
- Westwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Kalkaska
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- South Boardman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lodi
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Spencer
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Sigma
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
- Deibert
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Deibert is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deibert
- Fife Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Angling
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Angling is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
- Sharon ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Sharon has also been known as:
- Big Oley
- Jam One
- Antrim County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Alden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Elk Rapids
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Kewadin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Clam Lake ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
- Bellaire
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mancelona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wetzel ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Wetzel is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetzel
- Wetzel has also been known as:
- Wetzell
- Central Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Eastport
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Finkton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Finkton is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkton
- Alba
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ellsworth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Benzie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Lake Ann
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bendon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bendon is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bendon
- Charlevoix County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- East Jordan
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Goo ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Goo is located in Charlevoix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goo
- Norwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Norwood is located in Charlevoix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Ironton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ironton is located in Charlevoix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironton
- Boyne City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Boyne City is located in Charlevoix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyne City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,717 people
- Former names for Boyne City:
- Bay Springs
- Boyne
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Boyne City <1>
- Boyne Falls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Deward ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Deward is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
- Frederic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- McIntyre Landing
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- McIntyre Landing is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Landing
- Rasmus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rasmus is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rasmus
- Grand Traverse County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Angel
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Angel is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angel
- Angel has also been known as:
- Angel Station
- Angell Station
- Mabel
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mabel is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Tunk ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Tunk is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunk
- Williamsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mapleton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mapleton is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
- Old Mission
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Acme
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Devils Elbow
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Devils Elbow is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Elbow
- Traverse City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mayfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Mayfield is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Kingsley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Grawn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Leelanau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Greilickville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Greilickville is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greilickville
- Manseau ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Manseau is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manseau
- Bingham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Bingham is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
- Hatchs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Hatchs is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs
- Peshawbestown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Peshawbestown is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peshawbestown
- Suttons Bay
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Omena
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Leelanau
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Solon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Solon is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solon
- Bodus
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bodus is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodus
- Isadore ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Isadore is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isadore
- Schomberg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Schomberg is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schomberg
- Missaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Moorestown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
- Stittsville ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
- Otsego County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Elmira
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Waters
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Hallock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hallock is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallock
- Wexford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Baxter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Baxter is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baxter
- Buckley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Manton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Torch River, see our County-by-County Page for Torch River.
Cemeteries Near Torch River ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Torch River.
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 Torch River - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Torch River covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- South Milton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Clearwater Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Helena Twp. Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- St. Mary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kewadin Indian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Williamsburg Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Yuba Acme Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Circle Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Westwood Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Chapman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (140 more) ...
- Fairview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Acme Twp. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Acme Twp. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
While we didn't find Torch River in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Torch River.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Torch River, with the one closest to Torch River listed first.
- Barker Creek
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Barker Creek is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Creek
- Kewadin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Elk Rapids
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Yuba
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Yuba is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba
- Williamsburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clam Lake ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
- Bates
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bates is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
- Leetsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Leetsville is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leetsville
- Mapleton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mapleton is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
- Acme
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kalkaska
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Westwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bellaire
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Old Mission
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Creswell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Creswell is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creswell
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Torch River. See our List of 1890's Communities around Torch River.
Newspapers Published in Torch River ...
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 83 newspapers that have been published in the area around Torch River.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Torch River, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Torch River.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Torch River:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Kalkaska County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Antrim County
- Benzie County
- Charlevoix County
- Crawford County
- Grand Traverse County
- Leelanau County
- Missaukee County
- Otsego County
- Wexford 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 Torch River, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Torch River) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |