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 Ballou (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 Ballou. 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 and hospitals 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.
Ballou is located in Will 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 Will County: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall & Lake (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Ballou. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ballou:
- Will County (The home county of Ballou)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Custer Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Lakewood Shores
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
- Wilmington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Symerton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Braidwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Godley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Godley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
- Elwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Wilton Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blodgett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Wallingford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Manhattan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Preston Heights
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Preston Heights is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Matteson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Richton Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tinley Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olympia Fields
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Park Forest
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lemont
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Country Club Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Chicago Heights
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Flossmoor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- DuPage County
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Cabery
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Kempton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Diamond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Braceville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Central City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Coal City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Clarke City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- East Brooklyn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- South Wilmington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Channahon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Gardner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Chebanse
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Clifton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Ashkum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- L'Erable
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Papineau
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Essex
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bonfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Goodrich
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Union Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bourbonnais
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Manteno
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Reddick
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Herscher
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Bradley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Buckingham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Irwin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Plattville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Lisbon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Newark
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oswego
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Seneca
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Seneca is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
- Seneca has also been known as:
- Crotty
- Seneca village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
- Stavanger
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Stavanger is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
- Marseilles
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Ransom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Cardiff
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Campus
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dwight
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Emington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sunbury
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Adams ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Cullom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Griswold
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
- Odell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Budd
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Saunemin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lake County (IN)
- Illinoi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ballou, see our County-by-County Page for Ballou.
Cemeteries Near Ballou ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ballou.
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 Ballou - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ballou covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Custer Twp. Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Twp. Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Custer Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Custer Park.
- The Custer Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- Custer Park Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #322758 <2>
- Wesley Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Wesley Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<3> to the east of Braidwood.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108794 <2>
- Oakwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Wilmington.
- The Oakwood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oakwood Protestant Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107289 <2>
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Wilmington.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Rose of Lima Parish Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107049 <2>
- Brown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bohemian Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bohemian National Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Braidwood.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107252 <2>
- Chicago Road Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Braidwood.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rose Hill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107052 <2>
- Starrs Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starrs Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Starrs Grove Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northwest of Symerton.
- The Starrs Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Star Grove Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2317942 <2>
- Continue List (261 more) ...
- Beach Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- McGillivray Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
While we didn't find Ballou in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ballou.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ballou, with the one closest to Ballou listed first.
- Ritchie
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Ritchie is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie
- Custer Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Wilmington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Symerton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Deselm
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Deselm is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deselm
- Braidwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Essex
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lorenzo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lorenzo is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorenzo
- Diamond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Blodgett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Elwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Braceville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bonfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Drummond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Drummond is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drummond
- Coal City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ballou. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ballou.
Newspapers Published in Ballou ...
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 90 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ballou.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ballou, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ballou.
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 Ballou:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle County
- Livingston County
- Lake 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> | 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Ballou) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Ballou, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |