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 Twin Lakes (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 Twin Lakes. 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 Twin Lakes ...
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 Twin Lakes: Twin Lks.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Twin Lakes. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Twin Lakes.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Twin Lakes is located in Cass 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 Cass County: Elkhart (IN), Saint Joseph (IN), Berrien, Saint Joseph & Van Buren.
Below are the counties that are near Twin Lakes. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Twin Lakes:
- Cass County (The home county of Twin Lakes)
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Dowagiac
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- La Grange
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- La Grange is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Cassopolis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Penn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Penn is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
- Wakelee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Wakelee is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakelee
- Vandalia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Vandalia is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Pokagon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pokagon is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
- Marcellus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Brownsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brownsville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Sumnerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sumnerville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumnerville
- Jones
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Edwardsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Leisure
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Leisure is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure
- Leisure has also been known as:
- East Casco
- South Haven Highlands
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Berrien County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Naomi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Naomi is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naomi
- Berrien Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Eau Claire
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Hartman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Hartman is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartman
- Shanghai Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Shanghai Corners is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai Corners
- Watervliet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Berrien Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Sodus
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Sodus is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sodus
- Coloma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Paw Paw Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Paw Paw Lake is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paw Paw Lake
- Niles
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Twelve Corners
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Twelve Corners is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twelve Corners
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Schoolcraft
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Oshtemo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Portage
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Vicksburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Westwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Westwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Alamo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
- Kalamazoo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Milwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Milwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwood
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Chamberlain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
- Fabius
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Fabius is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fabius
- Three Rivers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Mottville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mottville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mottville
- Constantine
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Parkville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Parkville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkville
- White Pigeon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Centreville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Centreville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,400 people
- Mendon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wasepi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Wasepi is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasepi
- Bluff Beach
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff Beach is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Beach
- Oakwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Oakwood is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Decatur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keeler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Keeler is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeler
- Lawrence
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lawton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hartford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Paw Paw
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mattawan
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Bangor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Glendale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Glendale is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Almena
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Almena is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
- Fish Corners
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fish Corners is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Corners
- Breedsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Elkhart County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Simonton Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Simonton Lake is located in Elkhart County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simonton Lake
- Elkhart
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Garden Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Garden Village is located in Elkhart County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Village
- Bristol
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Dunlap
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Dunlap is located in Elkhart County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Jamestown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Jamestown is located in Elkhart County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Middlebury
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Joseph County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Granger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Georgetown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Georgetown is located in Saint Joseph County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Indian Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Village is located in Saint Joseph County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Roseland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Roseland is located in Saint Joseph County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
- Mishawaka
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Osceola
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Osceola is located in Saint Joseph County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,486 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Osceola <1>
- South Bend
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gulivoire Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Gulivoire Park is located in Saint Joseph County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gulivoire Park
- Zeigler
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Zeigler is located in Saint Joseph County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeigler
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Twin Lakes, see our County-by-County Page for Twin Lakes.
Cemeteries Near Twin Lakes ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Twin Lakes.
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 Twin Lakes - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Twin Lakes covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Gage Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- White Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- South Wayne Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- North Wayne Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Crane Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Red Mill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Riverside Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Van Riper Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- California Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Burlington Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Whitmanville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Sacred Heart of Mary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (307 more) ...
- Dewey Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brady Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Schulte Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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 Twin Lakes in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Twin Lakes.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Twin Lakes, with the one closest to Twin Lakes listed first.
- Glenwood
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Glenwood is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Dowagiac
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Volinia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Volinia is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volinia
- La Grange
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- La Grange is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Decatur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cassopolis
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Penn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Penn is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
- Sister Lakes
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Sister Lakes is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sister Lakes
- Wakelee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Wakelee is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakelee
- Pokagon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pokagon is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
- Dailey
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Dailey is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dailey
- Vandalia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Vandalia is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Brownsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brownsville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Marcellus
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Naomi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Naomi is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naomi
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Twin Lakes. See our List of 1890's Communities around Twin Lakes.
Newspapers Published in Twin Lakes ...
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 50 newspapers that have been published in the area around Twin Lakes.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Twin Lakes, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Twin Lakes.
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 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 Twin Lakes:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Cass County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Berrien County
- Kalamazoo County
- Saint Joseph County
- Van Buren County
- Elkhart 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 Twin Lakes, 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- Twin Lakes) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |