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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 Ayers (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 Ayers. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Ayers is located in Bond 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 Bond County: Clinton, Fayette, Madison & Montgomery.

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

  • Bond County     (The home county of Ayers)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Reno
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Reno is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
    • Greenville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Sorento
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Smithboro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Old Ripley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
    • Mulberry Grove
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Pocahontas
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Pleasant Mound
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
    • Pierron
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Marydale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Marydale is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
    • Keyesport
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Rose
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Saint Rose is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rose
    • Boulder
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Boulder is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
    • Aviston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Beckemeyer
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Breese
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Carlyle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Huey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Huey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huey <1>
    • Trenton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Germantown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Bartelso
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Posey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Posey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Hagarstown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Bingham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Vandalia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Bayle City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
    • Shobonier
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Bluff City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Ramsey
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Brownstown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Dressor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
    • Saint Paul
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
    • Avena
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Mount Olive
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Ka-ho
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Ka-ho is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ka-ho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
      • Lake Ka-ho has also been known as:
      • Lake Ka-Ho village
    • White City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • White City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
    • Staunton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Benld
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Benld is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Benld <1>
    • Eagarville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Sawyerville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Hornsby
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
    • East Gillespie
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • East Gillespie is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gillespie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Gillespie
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Clare
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Clare is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
    • Wilsonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Dorchester
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Dorchester is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • New Douglas
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Grantfork
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Grantfork is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantfork
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • Alhambra
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Livingston
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Williamson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Highland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Sebastopol
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Sebastopol is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastopol
    • Worden
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Marine
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hamel
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Fruit
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Fruit is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruit
    • Saint Jacob
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Prairietown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Prairietown is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairietown
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Vernon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Patoka
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairman is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
    • Sandoval
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Donnellson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Panama
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Coffeen
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Taylor Springs
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Walshville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Chapman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
    • Schram City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Schram City is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schram City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 542 people
    • Fillmore
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hillsboro
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Butler
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Irving
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Litchfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Witt
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Witt is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 833 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Witt <1>
  • Saint Clair County
    • Summerfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayers, with the one closest to Ayers listed first.
    • Oconee
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Herrick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Ayers ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ayers.

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 Ayers - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Jett Number Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Elm Point Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Wade Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Nebo Old Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Gilead Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Hazel Dell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Hazel Dell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Moriah Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Wright Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • New Mt. Nebo Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (404 more) ...
    • St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Lansing Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Donneilson Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)

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

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

  • Reno
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Reno is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
  • Donnellson
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Greenville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Sorento
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Stubblefield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Stubblefield is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubblefield
  • Smithboro
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Old Ripley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
  • Dudleyville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Dudleyville is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
  • Coffeen
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Pocahontas
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Mulberry Grove
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Mound
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Walshville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • New Douglas
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Hookdale
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hookdale is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookdale

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

Newspapers Published in Ayers ...

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 111 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ayers.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ayers, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ayers.

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 Ayers:

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