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 Woods (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 Woods. 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 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.
Woods is located in Isabella 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 Isabella County: Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm & Osceola.
Below are the counties that are near Woods. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Woods:
- Isabella County (The home county of Woods)
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Beal City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Beal City is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beal City
- Weidman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brinton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Brinton is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brinton
- Vernon City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Vernon City is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon City
- Rosebush
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Isabella
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- 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
- Sherman City ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sherman City is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman City
- Jordan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jordan is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Loomis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Loomis is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loomis
- Mount Pleasant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Alembic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Alembic is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alembic
- Crawford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Crawford is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
- Winn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Winn is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winn
- Clare County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Farwell
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Clare
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lake is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Former name for Lake:
- Lake Station
- Dover
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dover is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Hatton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Hatton is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Lake George
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lake George is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake George
- Allendale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Allendale is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allendale
- Harrison
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Meredith
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Meredith is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Gladwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Beaverton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gladwin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- White Star
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- White Star is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Star
- Wooden Shoe Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wooden Shoe Village is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooden Shoe Village
- Gratiot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Forest Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Hill is located in Gratiot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- Riverdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Elwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Elm Hall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Elm Hall is located in Gratiot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Hall
- Saint Louis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Alma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Wheeler
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- North Wheeler is located in Gratiot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wheeler
- Mecosta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Barryton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Remus
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Millbrook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Millbrook is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millbrook
- Mecosta
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chippewa Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Halls Corner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Halls Corner is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Corner
- Pogy
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Pogy is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pogy
- Rodney
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Canadian Lakes
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Canadian Lakes is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canadian Lakes
- Rustford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rustford is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustford
- Big Rapids
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Stanwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Paris
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Midland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Coleman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Alamando
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Alamando is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamando
- Oil City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Oil City is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
- North Bradley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- North Bradley is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bradley
- Edenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Edenville is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edenville
- Sanford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Porter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Porter is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Averill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Averill is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averill
- Hope
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Redstone
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Redstone is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redstone
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Wyman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Wyman is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyman
- Cedar Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Cedar Lake is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
- Vestaburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Vestaburg is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vestaburg
- Edmore
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Six Lakes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- McBride
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Lakeview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Entrican
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Entrican is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Entrican
- Osceola County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Chippewa Station ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chippewa Station is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chippewa Station
- Orient
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Orient is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orient
- Sears
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Evart
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gormer ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gormer is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gormer
- Avondale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Avondale is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Marion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hartwick ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hartwick is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
- Hersey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Woods, see our County-by-County Page for Woods.
Cemeteries Near Woods ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woods.
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 Woods - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Woods covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Gilmore Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Redman Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Surrey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Conley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Fairview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Woodland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Cemetery
- The Woodland Cemetery has also been known as:
- Isabella Twp. Cemetery
- St. Henrys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Vernon Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- North Brinton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (175 more) ...
- Zion Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Bennett Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bissing Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 Woods in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Woods.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Woods, with the one closest to Woods listed first.
- Farwell
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brinton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Brinton is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brinton
- Clare
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lake is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Former name for Lake:
- Lake Station
- Sherman City ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sherman City is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman City
- Horr
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Horr is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horr
- Jordan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jordan is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Leaton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Leaton is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leaton
- Delwin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Delwin is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delwin
- Loomis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Loomis is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loomis
- Dover
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dover is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Mount Pleasant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Wise
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wise is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wise
- Hatton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Hatton is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Lake George
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lake George is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake George
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Woods. See our List of 1890's Communities around Woods.
Newspapers Published in Woods ...
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 136 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woods.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woods, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woods.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Woods:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Isabella County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clare County
- Gladwin County
- Gratiot County
- Mecosta County
- Midland County
- Montcalm County
- Osceola 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 Woods, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Woods) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |