RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Ohio >> Erie County >> Ranch Wood >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Ranch Wood (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 Ranch Wood. 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.

Ranch Wood is located in Erie 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 Erie County: Huron, Lorain, Ottawa & Sandusky.

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

  • Erie County     (The home county of Ranch Wood)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ranch Wood, with the one closest to Ranch Wood listed first.
    • Fairview Lanes
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Fairview Lanes is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Lanes
    • Sandusky
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bogart
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bogart is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogart
    • Venice
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Venice is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venice
    • Huron
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Castalia
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Avery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Avery is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
    • North Milan
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • North Milan is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Milan
    • Bay View
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Shinrock
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Shinrock is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shinrock
    • Milan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Berlin Heights
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Berlinville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Berlinville is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlinville
  • Champaign County
    • Rochester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rochester is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
  • Huron County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ranch Wood, with the one closest to Ranch Wood listed first.
    • Monroeville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Norwalk
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Hunts Corners
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Hunts Corners is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunts Corners
      • Hunts Corners has also been known as:
      • Moorehead
    • Collins
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Collins is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
    • East Townsend
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • East Townsend is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Townsend
    • Peru
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Peru is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
    • Hartland Station
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hartland Station is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland Station
    • Wakeman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Olena
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Olena is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olena
    • Hartland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hartland is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
    • West Clarksfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • West Clarksfield is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Clarksfield
    • North Fairfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • North Fairfield is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fairfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
    • Steuben
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Steuben is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steuben
  • Lorain County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ranch Wood, with the one closest to Ranch Wood listed first.
    • Vermilion
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Vermilion-on-the-Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Brownhelm Station
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Brownhelm Station is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownhelm Station
    • Henrietta
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Henrietta is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
    • Kipton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Kipton is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kipton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
    • Amherst
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • South Amherst
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • South Amherst is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Amherst
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,663 people
    • Lorain
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Oberlin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Brighton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Brighton is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
    • Rochester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rochester is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
    • Elyria
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Nickelplate ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Nickelplate is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nickelplate
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ranch Wood, with the one closest to Ranch Wood listed first.
    • Marblehead
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Danbury
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Danbury is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danbury
    • Violet ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Violet is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Violet
    • Gypsum
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Catawba Island
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Catawba Island is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catawba Island
    • Port Clinton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Put-in-Bay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lacarne
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Lacarne is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacarne
    • Isle Saint George
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Isle Saint George is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isle Saint George
    • Oak Harbor
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Locust Point
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Locust Point is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Point
    • Rocky Ridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Rocky Ridge is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
  • Richland County
    • Plymouth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Plymouth is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,789 people
  • Sandusky County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ranch Wood, with the one closest to Ranch Wood listed first.
    • Teemes ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Teemes is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teemes
    • Bellevue
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Vickery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Vickery is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vickery
    • Clyde
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Clyde is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,172 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clyde <1>
    • Erlin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Erlin is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erlin
    • Green Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Green Creek is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Creek
    • Shorewood Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Shorewood Village is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorewood Village
    • Fremont
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Kingsway
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Kingsway is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsway
    • Ballville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Ballville is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballville
    • Stony Prairie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Stony Prairie is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Prairie
    • Gabels Corner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Gabels Corner is located in Sandusky County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gabels Corner
    • Lindsey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Seneca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ranch Wood, with the one closest to Ranch Wood listed first.
    • Flat Rock
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Flat Rock is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Rock
    • Green Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • West Lodi
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • West Lodi is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lodi
    • Omar
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Omar is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omar
    • Attica Junction
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Attica Junction is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attica Junction
    • Scipio
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Scipio is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scipio
    • Attica
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Republic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Watson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Watson is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
      • Watson has also been known as:
      • Watson Station
      • Watsons Station
    • Caroline
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Caroline is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caroline
    • Fort Seneca
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fort Seneca is located in Seneca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Seneca

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

Cemeteries Near Ranch Wood ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ranch Wood.

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 Ranch Wood - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Oakland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Jewish Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Ohio Soldiers & Sailors Home Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Wilmer Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Bogart Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Perkins Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Cholera Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Meadow Green Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bloomingville Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (256 more) ...

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 Ranch Wood in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ranch Wood.

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

  • Bogart
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Bogart is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogart
  • Sandusky
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Venice
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Venice is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venice
  • Bloomingville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bloomingville is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingville
  • Prout ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Prout is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prout
  • Castalia
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Sand Hill
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Sand Hill is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Hill
  • Marblehead
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Huron
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Avery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Avery is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
  • Kimball
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Kimball is located in Erie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball
  • Lakeside
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Piccola ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Piccola is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piccola
    • Shinrock
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Shinrock is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shinrock
    • Violet ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Violet is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Violet

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

Newspapers Published in Ranch Wood ...

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 46 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ranch Wood.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ranch Wood, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ranch Wood.

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 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 Ranch Wood:

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 Ranch Wood, 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- Ranch Wood) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.