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 Allen (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 Allen. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 west contained birth and death records; the county to the south 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.
Allen is located in Mason County.
To see how the shape of Illinois' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Mason County: Cass, Fulton, Logan, Menard, Schuyler & Tazewell.
Below are the counties that are near Allen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Allen:
- Mason County (The home county of Allen)
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- San Jose
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Natrona
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Mason City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Teheran
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Teheran is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
- Forest City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Manito
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Easton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Topeka
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Poplar City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Goofy Ridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
- Buzzville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Buzzville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
- Havana
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Cass County
- Newmansville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Newmansville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
- De Witt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Waynesville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Tabor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Tabor is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
- Midland City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Midland City is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland City
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Banner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Liverpool
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Breeds
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
- Dunfermline
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Saint David
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sepo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Bryant
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Canton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lewistown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Brereton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Brereton is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
- Norris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marbletown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Marbletown is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
- Logan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Emden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- New Holland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Middletown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Bell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Evans
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Lincoln
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Broadwell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Broadwell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Lawndale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Elkhart
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Atlanta
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Chestervale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chestervale is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
- Beason
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Stanford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- McLean
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Danvers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Danvers is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
- Danvers has also been known as:
- Danver
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <1>
- Menard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Greenview
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Croft
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Croft is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
- Oakford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Petersburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Athens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Tallula
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Kingston Mines
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Mapleton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Glasford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bartonville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bellevue
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bellevue is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,037 people
- Maxwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Maxwell is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Hanna City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Norwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Norwood is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Peoria
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- West Peoria
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- North Peoria
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- North Peoria is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
- Pottstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Pottstown is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
- Trivoli
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sangamon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Williamsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Cantrall
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Sherman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Buffalo Hart
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Buffalo Hart is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Hart
- Salisbury
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Spaulding
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
- Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Winkel ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Winkel is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
- Green Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Delavan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Boynton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Brownwood ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brownwood is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Parkland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Parkland is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
- South Pekin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- South Pekin is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pekin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
- Dillon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dillon is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
- Burt
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Burt is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Hawley ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hawley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
- Hopedale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Midway
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Midway is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Radville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Radville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
- Woodford County
- Goodfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Allen, see our County-by-County Page for Allen.
Cemeteries Near Allen ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Allen.
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 Allen - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Allen covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Bratt Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratt Cemetery
- The Bratt Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Sand Hill Cemetery
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
- Allens Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Greenhill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Thomas Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cherry Grove Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the northeast of Mason City.
- The Cherry Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Green Mound Cemetery
- Greenmound Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105119 <3>
- Albright Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Langston Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Green Valley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mason City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Prairie Rest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Breedlove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breedlove Cemetery
- The Breedlove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Nannen Cemetery
- Stephen's Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (321 more) ...
- Patterson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Allen in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Allen.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Natrona
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- San Jose
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Mason City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Delavan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Green Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Emden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Teheran
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Teheran is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
- New Holland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Manito
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Forest City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Easton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Hartsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Boynton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Burton View
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Burton View is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton View
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Allen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Allen.
Newspapers Published in Allen ...
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 189 newspapers that have been published in the area around Allen.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Allen, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Allen.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Allen:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Mason County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cass County
- De Witt County
- Fulton County
- Logan County
- McLean County
- Menard County
- Peoria County
- Sangamon County
- Tazewell County
- Woodford County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Allen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Allen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |