Welcome to The October Project, a historical record of the greater Newaygo County, Michigan area.
The October Project was initially conceived as simply an effort to document the cemeteries in Newaygo County, but rapidly expanded to include a study into the history of the area, particularly the forgotten and obscure history. We are not ghost hunters or paranormal enthusiasts, so you will probably be disappointed if that is why you have come to this site. There is a place for that, but it is not here. Rather, we are historians, photographers, documenters and artists who feel a strong obligation to ensure that those who have gone before us are not forgotten.
Here you will find photographs, stories, maps, and legends pertaining to this richly historical part of Western Michigan. Because of the difficulty to maintain and update, burial records formerly hosted on this site can now be found at findagrave.com. Other links which may be of use or interest to you include:
| Newaygo County Historical Archives | The Newaygo County Historical Archives, from NCATS. |
| Findagrave.com | If you are looking for your ancestors, interested in documenting a cemetery, or searching for a way to remember and memorialize a loved one, this is THE place to start your search, and certainly the place to finish after you have found your answers. Please support this exceptional site with the submissions of your findings. |
| Clarke Historical Library | Central Michigan University's Clarke Historical Library, one of the premier historical museums in the midwest. |
| Familysearch.org | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has created this excellent source for genealogy research. |
| Interment.net | Cemetery transcription records |
| Mercer County, Pennsylvania cemeteries | Mercer County, PA Cemeteries |
| Findadeath.com | Similar to Find a Grave mentioned above, perhaps a little more irreverent but then, even the dead must have a sense of humor. Very well done, and very interesting, but NOT the place to go if you are easily offended. |
| The Fat Cyclist | Fight like Susan |
The October Group would also like to thank a number of individuals who have provided assistance, information, and documentation to this project, and acknowledge their contributions. Following is a list of those sources, and how they have been identified.
| BUOZIS |
Kris Buozis, contributor & lifelong area resident |
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| FDL | Fremont District Library | |
| GRIFFIN | George Griffin, contributor | |
| KORSTANGE | Chris Korstange, contributor | |
| NCSHG |
Newaygo County Society of History and Genealogy |
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| SCOTT | Mark Scott, contributor | |
| ST | Sharon Thompson, descendant of the Surrarer, Boon, & Wright families | |
| TAYLOR |
Ronald Steven Taylor, Historical Gazetteer of Newaygo County, Michigan, copyright 1985 |
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| THOMPSON | NCSHG Scrapbook compiled by Bob Thompson for the Newaygo County Museum | |
| VANLEUVEN |
Frank VanLeuven, undertaker and photographer operating from about 1900 to 1915 |
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| VINCENT |
Sandy (Vincent) Peavey, curator of the Local History Room at the Fremont District Library and generous contributor and advisor |
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| WANTZ |
Terry Wantz, local historian, author, and contributor |
Whether you are trying to connect with your ancestors, researching a specific topic, or simply learning more about this area, we sincerely hope that The October Project will be of assistance to you.
Thank you for visiting.
The October Group
Unless otherwise indicated all images, text, and other materials contained in The October Project or produced by The October Group and it's affiliates are protected under a Creative Commons 2.5 license. This means that you are free to use, modify, or distribute them as you desire, but proper credit for the source must be given.