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 Woodlawn Beach (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 Woodlawn Beach. 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 Woodlawn Beach ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Woodlawn Beach: Woodlawn Bch.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Woodlawn Beach. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Woodlawn Beach.
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 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.
Woodlawn Beach is located in Barry 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 Barry County: Allegan, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo & Kent.
Below are the counties that are near Woodlawn Beach. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Woodlawn Beach:
- Barry County (The home county of Woodlawn Beach)
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Hickory Corners
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Delton
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Prairieville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Prairieville is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Banfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Doster
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Doster is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
- Cloverdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Cedar Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Dowling
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Hastings
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Maple Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Irving
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Morgan
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Neeley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Neeley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeley
- Hooper
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
- Plainwell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Martin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Otsego
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Shelbyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Watson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Watson is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
- Bradley
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Wayland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hopkins
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hilliards
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Allegan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Branch County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Union City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sherwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Sherwood is located in Branch County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 306 people
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Level Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Level Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Level Park
- Bedford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fort Custer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Custer is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Custer
- Former name for Fort Custer:
- Camp Custer
- Oak Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Springfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Battle Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Verona Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Verona Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verona Park
- Brownlee Park
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Brownlee Park is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownlee Park
- West Leroy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- West Leroy is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leroy
- Pennfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Pennfield is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennfield
- Sonoma
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sonoma is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Beadle Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beadle Lake is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beadle Lake
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Bellevue
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ainger
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Ainger is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainger
- Carlisle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Vermontville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Olivet
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Chester
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Little Venice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Woodbury
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Gresham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Campbell Corners
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Lake Odessa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clarksville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Elmdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Kalamazoo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Highland Park
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- South Gull Lake
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
- Yorkville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Richland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Augusta
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Cooper
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
- Galesburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Comstock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- Eastwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
- Parchment
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kalamazoo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Climax
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Climax is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Caledonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Corinth
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Corinth is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- North Dorr
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Dorr is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
- Alto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Dutton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Dutton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
- Saint Joseph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Factoryville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Factoryville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Factoryville
- Leonidas
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Mendon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Parkville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Parkville is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkville
- Chamberlain
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Chamberlain is located in Saint Joseph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chamberlain
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Kendall
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Kendall is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
- North Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- North Lake is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
- Almena
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Almena is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
- Mattawan
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Gobles
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Paw Paw
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lawton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Glendale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Glendale is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Woodlawn Beach, see our County-by-County Page for Woodlawn Beach.
Cemeteries Near Woodlawn Beach ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woodlawn Beach.
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 Woodlawn Beach - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Woodlawn Beach covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Charlotte Dewey Grave
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Hickory Corners Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Prairie Home Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- North Hickory Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cressey Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Stony Lake Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Day Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Prairieville Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Howlandsburg Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Augusta Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hamilton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (291 more) ...
- East Cooper Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Post Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ft. Custer National Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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 Woodlawn Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Woodlawn Beach.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Woodlawn Beach, with the one closest to Woodlawn Beach listed first.
- Hickory Corners
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cressey
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cressey is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cressey
- Richland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Yorkville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Richland Junction
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Richland Junction is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Junction
- Delton
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Prairieville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Prairieville is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
- Banfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Banfield is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
- Doster
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Doster is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
- East Cooper
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
- Cedar Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Cloverdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Galesburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bedford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hooper
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hooper is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooper
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Woodlawn Beach. See our List of 1890's Communities around Woodlawn Beach.
Newspapers Published in Woodlawn Beach ...
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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woodlawn Beach.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woodlawn Beach, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woodlawn Beach.
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 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 Woodlawn Beach:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Barry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Branch County
- Calhoun County
- Eaton County
- Ionia County
- Kalamazoo County
- Kent County
- Saint Joseph County
- Van Buren 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 Woodlawn Beach, 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- Woodlawn Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |