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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 Vriesland (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 Vriesland. 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 hospitals and 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.

Vriesland is located in Ottawa 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 Ottawa County: Allegan, Kent & Muskegon.

Below are the counties that are near Vriesland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Vriesland:

  • Ottawa County     (The home county of Vriesland)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.
    • Forest Grove Station
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
    • Drenthe
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
    • Zeeland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Forest Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
    • Jamestown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • South Blendon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
    • Hudsonville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Noordeloos
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
    • Bauer
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Bauer is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
    • Waverly
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Waverly is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
    • Holland
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Jenison
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Beechwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
  • Allegan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.
    • Burnips
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Burnips is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
      • Former name for Burnips:
      • Burnip's Corners
    • New Salem
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • New Salem is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
    • Fillmore
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Fillmore is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Diamond Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
    • Hamilton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Boyd
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Boyd is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
    • Graafschap
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Graafschap is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
    • Dorr
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Moline
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Moline is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
    • Hilliards
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hilliards is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
    • South Monterey
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
    • Hopkins
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Singapore ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Singapore is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singapore
  • Barry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.
    • Middleville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Irving
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Irving is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.
    • North Dorr
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
    • Byron Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Grandville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Carlisle
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Carlisle is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Beverly
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Beverly is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
    • Burlingame Heights
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
    • Burlingame
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Burlingame is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Wyoming
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Corinth
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Corinth is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Cutlerville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Clyde Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Clyde Park is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
    • Galewood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Galewood is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
    • Urbandale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Urbandale is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
  • Muskegon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.
    • Fruitport
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Ravenna
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Sullivan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
    • Slocum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Slocum is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
    • Norton Shores
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Canada Corners
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
    • Morgan Corners
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.
    • Bloomingdale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Grand Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Lacota
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Lacota is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacota
    • Kibbie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Kibbie is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Vriesland, see our County-by-County Page for Vriesland.

Cemeteries Near Vriesland ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Vriesland.

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 Vriesland - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Vriesland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.

  • Old Vriesland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Vriesland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • West Drenthe Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Old Drenthe Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • East Drenthe Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Beaverdam Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Van Dam Family Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Forest Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Zutphen Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Zeeland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Overisel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Jamestown Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (245 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Vriesland had a population of 100 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Vriesland, with the one closest to Vriesland listed first.

  • Drenthe
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
  • Beaverdam
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Beaverdam is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverdam
  • Zutphen
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Zutphen is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zutphen
  • Zeeland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Forest Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
  • Oakland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Oakland is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
  • Gitchel
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Gitchel is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gitchel
  • Jamestown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
  • Hudsonville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • South Blendon
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
  • Overisel
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Overisel is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Overisel
  • Borculo
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Borculo is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borculo
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Noordeloos
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
    • Bauer
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Bauer is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
    • New Holland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • New Holland is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Holland

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Vriesland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Vriesland.

Newspapers Published in Vriesland ...

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 199 newspapers that have been published in the area around Vriesland.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Vriesland, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Vriesland.

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 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 Vriesland:

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 Vriesland, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Vriesland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.