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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 Grand River (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 Grand River. 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 Grand River ...

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 Grand River: Grand Riv.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Grand River. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Grand River.

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 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.

Grand River is located in Lake County.

To see how the shape of Ohio's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lake County: Ashtabula, Cuyahoga & Geauga.

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

  • Lake County     (The home county of Grand River)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand River, with the one closest to Grand River listed first.
    • Fairport Harbor
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Painesville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Mentor-on-the-Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Mentor
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Perry
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • North Perry
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • North Perry is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Perry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 885 people
    • Kirtland Hills
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Kirtland Hills is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirtland Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 645 people
    • Brentwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Brentwood is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brentwood
    • Oak Hill Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Hill Village is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill Village
    • Reynolds
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Reynolds is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynolds
    • Eastlake
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Lakeline
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakeline is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
  • Ashtabula County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand River, with the one closest to Grand River listed first.
    • Driftwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Driftwood is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driftwood
    • Geneva
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Geneva is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,899 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Geneva <1>
    • Harpersfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Harpersfield is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harpersfield
    • Trumbull
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Trumbull is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trumbull
    • Geneva-on-the-Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • East Trumbull
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • East Trumbull is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Trumbull
    • Mechanicsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Mechanicsville is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsville
    • Hartsgrove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hartsgrove is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsgrove
    • Saybrook
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Saybrook is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saybrook
    • Austinburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Rock Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Eagleville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Eagleville is located in Ashtabula County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagleville
  • Cuyahoga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand River, with the one closest to Grand River listed first.
    • Mayfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Gates Mills
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Euclid
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Euclid is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euclid
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,205 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Euclid <1>
    • Highland Heights
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Richmond Heights
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Mayfield Heights
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Nottingham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Nottingham is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
    • Hunting Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Hunting Valley is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunting Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 717 people
    • Lyndhurst
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bratenahl
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bratenahl is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratenahl
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,153 people
    • South Euclid
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Beachwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Geauga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand River, with the one closest to Grand River listed first.
    • West Bass Lake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • West Bass Lake is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bass Lake
    • Thompson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Chardon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Aquilla
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Aquilla is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aquilla
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
    • Montville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Montville is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montville
    • Chesterland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • East Claridon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • East Claridon is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Claridon
    • Huntsburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Huntsburg is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,641 people
    • Burton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Yates Corners
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Yates Corners is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Corners
    • South Russell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • South Russell is located in Geauga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Russell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,713 people
    • Middlefield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
  • Portage County
    • Aurora
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Summit County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand River, with the one closest to Grand River listed first.
    • Reminderville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Reminderville is located in Summit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reminderville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,643 people
    • Northfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Trumbull County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand River, with the one closest to Grand River listed first.
    • Mesopotamia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • West Farmington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Farmington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Farmington is located in Trumbull County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington

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

Cemeteries Near Grand River ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grand River.

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 Grand River - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Blackbrook Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mentor Ave. Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Mentor Municipal Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Mentor Municipal Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Huntoon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Lane Road Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Lost Nation Road Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Willoughby Memorial Gardens
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willoughby Memorial Gardens
    • The Willoughby Memorial Gardens has also been known as:
    • Plains Road Cemetery
  • Concord Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (200 more) ...
    • Leroy Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Perry Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perry Cemetery
      • The Perry Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Center Road Cemetery
      • Disciples Cemetery
      • Perry Center Cemetery
      • Perry Center Road Cemetery
      • Perry Twp. Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2211916 <2>
    • Clague Farm Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)

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 in 1895, Grand River had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Grand River had a population of 407 people.

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

  • Fairport Harbor
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Painesville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Heisley ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Heisley is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heisley
  • Mentor
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Lane
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Lane is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
  • West Mentor
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • West Mentor is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Mentor
  • Concord
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Little Mountain
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Little Mountain is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Mountain
  • Perry
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Reynolds
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Reynolds is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynolds
  • Willoughby
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Kirtland
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Breakman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Breakman is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breakman
    • Madison
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Rush Road ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Rush Road is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush Road

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

Newspapers Published in Grand River ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Grand River.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grand River, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grand River.

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 Grand River:

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