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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 Westville (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 Westville. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Westville is located in Montcalm 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 Montcalm County: Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, Kent, Mecosta & Newaygo.

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

  • Montcalm County     (The home county of Westville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • McBride
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Entrican
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Entrican is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Entrican
    • Edmore
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Stanton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Six Lakes
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar Lake
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • Wyman
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Wyman is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyman
    • Sidney
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Langston
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Langston is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
    • Vestaburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Vestaburg is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vestaburg
    • Sheridan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Crystal
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Maple Rapids
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Maple Rapids is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Rapids
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 671 people
    • Fowler
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Gratiot County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Elm Hall
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Elm Hall is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Hall
    • Riverdale
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Sumner
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Sumner is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumner
    • Elwell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Forest Hill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Forest Hill is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
    • Alma
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Alma is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,807 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alma <1>
    • Middleton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Perrinton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Perrinton is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrinton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 391 people
    • Ithaca
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Saint Louis
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Pompeii
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • North Star
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • North Star is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Star
      • North Star has also been known as:
      • Northstar
  • Ionia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Palo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Palo is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palo
    • Shiloh
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Shiloh is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
    • Belding
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Woods Corners
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Woods Corners is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods Corners
    • Orleans
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Orleans is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
    • Hubbardston
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Smyrna
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Matherton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Matherton is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matherton
    • Ionia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Muir
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Lyons
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • South Ionia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • South Ionia is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
  • Isabella County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Blanchard
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Winn
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Winn is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winn
    • Strickland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Strickland is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strickland
    • Crawford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Crawford is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
    • Summerton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Summerton is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerton
    • Lake Isabella
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Lake Isabella is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Isabella
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,688 people
      • Lake Isabella has also been known as:
      • Lake Isabella village
    • Mount Pleasant
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Shepherd
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Coe
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Coe is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coe
    • Beal City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Beal City is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beal City
    • Weidman
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Sherman City ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Sherman City is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman City
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Harvard
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Harvard is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
    • Sand Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Sheffield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Sheffield is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
    • Grattan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Grattan is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grattan
    • Cedar Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Edgerton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Edgerton is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
    • Parnell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Parnell is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
    • Cannonsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Rockford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Mecosta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Millbrook
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Millbrook is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millbrook
    • Halls Corner
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Halls Corner is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Corner
    • Remus
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Rustford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Rustford is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustford
    • Canadian Lakes
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Canadian Lakes is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadian Lakes
    • Mecosta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Morley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Borland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Borland is located in Mecosta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borland
    • Stanwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Rodney
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Barryton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Chippewa Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Midland County
    • Oil City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Oil City is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
  • Newaygo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westville, with the one closest to Westville listed first.
    • Croton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Croton is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
    • Riverview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Riverview is located in Newaygo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview

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

Cemeteries Near Westville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westville.

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

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

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

  • Palmer Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • McBrides Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Vinewood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hillside Entrican Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Forest Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Cedar Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Home Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • North Sidney Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sidney Twp. Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Langston Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (235 more) ...
    • Riverside Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Ferris Center Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Evergreen Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Westville had a population of 180 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • McBride
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Entrican
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Entrican is located in Montcalm County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Entrican
  • Stanton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Edmore
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Six Lakes
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Cedar Lake
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cedar Lake is located in Montcalm County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
  • Sidney
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Wyman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Wyman is located in Montcalm County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyman
  • Langston
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Langston is located in Montcalm County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
  • Sheridan
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Crystal
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Blanchard
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Lakeview
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Vickeryville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Vickeryville is located in Montcalm County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vickeryville
    • Elm Hall
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Elm Hall is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Hall

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

Newspapers Published in Westville ...

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 221 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westville, 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 Westville.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Westville:

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 Westville, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Westville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.