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 Wildeys (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 Wildeys. 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 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.
Wildeys is located in Van Buren 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 Van Buren County: Allegan, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo & Saint Joseph.
Below are the counties that are near Wildeys. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wildeys:
- Van Buren County (The home county of Wildeys)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Paw Paw
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lawrence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Glendale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Glendale is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Decatur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lawton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Almena
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Almena is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
- Mattawan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Bangor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Breedsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hartford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Gobles
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Lake is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
- Keeler
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Keeler is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeler
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Pullman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Leisure
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Leisure is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure
- Leisure has also been known as:
- East Casco
- Hawkhead
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hawkhead is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkhead
- Allegan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Otsego
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Miami Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Miami Park is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miami Park
- Miami Park has also been known as:
- Miami Park Beach
- Miomi Park Beach
- Mount Pleasant
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- South Haven Highlands
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Grove is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Grove
- Plainwell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Bluff
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Bluff is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Bluff
- Glenn Haven Shores
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Glenn Haven Shores is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Haven Shores
- Glenn Haven Shores has also been known as:
- Hollywood
- Glenn Shores
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Glenn Shores is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Shores
- Glenn Shores has also been known as:
- Glenn Stores
- Barry County
- Doster
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Doster is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
- Berrien County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Paw Paw Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Paw Paw Lake is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paw Paw Lake
- Watervliet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Coloma
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Naomi
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Naomi is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naomi
- Lake Michigan Beach
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Lake Michigan Beach is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Michigan Beach
- Riverside
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Riverside is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Twelve Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Twelve Corners is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twelve Corners
- Hartman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hartman is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartman
- Shanghai Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Shanghai Corners is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai Corners
- Berrien Center
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Eau Claire
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sodus
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sodus is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sodus
- Benton Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Benton Heights is located in Berrien County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Heights
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Marcellus
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wakelee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Wakelee is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakelee
- La Grange
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- La Grange is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange
- Dowagiac
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Penn
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Penn is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
- Cassopolis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Vandalia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Vandalia is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Brownsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Brownsville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Jones
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pokagon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pokagon is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokagon
- Corey
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Corey is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corey
- Sumnerville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sumnerville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumnerville
- Edwardsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Oshtemo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Alamo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
- Schoolcraft
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Westwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Westwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Portage
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Kalamazoo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Milwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Milwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwood
- Eastwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Parchment
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Comstock
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- Vicksburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- East Cooper
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
- Pavillion Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Pavillion Center is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavillion Center
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Chamberlain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
- Fabius
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fabius is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fabius
- Parkville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Parkville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkville
- Three Rivers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Centreville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Centreville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,400 people
- Constantine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mendon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mottville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mottville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mottville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wildeys, see our County-by-County Page for Wildeys.
Cemeteries Near Wildeys ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wildeys.
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 Wildeys - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wildeys covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Wildey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Threemile Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Prospect Lake Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clapp Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Prospect Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hicks Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lawrence Village Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bangs Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Lakeside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (287 more) ...
- Austin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glendale Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Coburn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Wildeys in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wildeys.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wildeys, with the one closest to Wildeys listed first.
- Paw Paw
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lawrence
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Decatur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lawton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Glendale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Glendale is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Almena
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Almena is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
- Mattawan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Breedsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bangor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- McDonald
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- McDonald is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDonald
- Hartford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Glenwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Glenwood is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Pine Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove
- Gobles
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Berlamont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Berlamont is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlamont
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wildeys. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wildeys.
Newspapers Published in Wildeys ...
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 152 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wildeys.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wildeys, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wildeys.
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 helpful 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 Wildeys:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Van Buren County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Berrien County
- Cass County
- Kalamazoo 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> | 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 Wildeys, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Wildeys) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |