In the early 1800s,

    the northwestern region of the United States and parts of Canada were often referred to as "New France." As Jesuit missionaries moved into the area, they set up a mission in Berrien County, at what is now Niles, called St. Joseph on the "River of the Miamis." St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary, was regarded by the missionaries as the patron saint of "New France." Later, the river became known as "The River on which is the Mission of St. Joseph", and of course soon shortened to the St. Joseph River. When the legislative body of the Territory of Michigan set up our county on October 29, 1829, it was named St. Joseph.

St Joseph County is bordered by Branch County to the east, Cass County to the west, Calhoun County to the northeast, Kalamazoo County to the north, VanBuren County to the northwest, Elkhart County, Indiana to the southwest, and LaGrange County, Indiana to the southeast.  It is important to check into the records of the neighboring counties for records of your ancestors.

This page was last modified <Thursday, 09-Feb-2023 18:40:42 MST>

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