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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 Barrow (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 Barrow. 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.

Name Variations for Barrow ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

Another variation: Barrows.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Barrow. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Barrow.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Barrow is located in Greene 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 Greene County: Calhoun, Jersey, Macoupin, Morgan, Pike & Scott.

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

  • Greene County     (The home county of Barrow)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Roodhouse
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • White Hall
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Patterson
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Wilmington
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Wilmington is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
    • Belltown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Belltown is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belltown
    • Hillview
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Walkerville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Walkerville is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkerville
    • Wrights
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Carrollton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Greenfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Woody
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Woody is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woody
    • Eldred
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Brown County
    • Versailles
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Cliffdale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cliffdale is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliffdale
    • Kampsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Belleview
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Belleview is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleview
    • Michael
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Mozier
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Hamburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Hardin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Gilead
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Gilead is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
    • Star City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Star City is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Arenzville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Hagener
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Hagener is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagener
    • Old Princeton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
  • Jersey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Spankey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Spankey is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spankey
    • Jerseyville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Fieldon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Fidelity
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Nutwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Nutwood is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Scottville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Hagaman
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hagaman is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagaman
    • Modesto
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Palmyra
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Hettick
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Challacombe
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Challacombe is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Challacombe
    • Chesterfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Medora
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Summerville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Summerville is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerville
    • Comer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Comer is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comer
    • Piasa
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Murrayville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lynnville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Lynnville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • Woodson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • South Jacksonville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Morgan City ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Morgan City is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan City
    • Chapin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Jacksonville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Pisgah
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Arnold
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Franklin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Concord
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Meredosia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Bedford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Pearl
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Florence
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Florence is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
    • Milton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Bee Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bee Creek is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Creek
    • Detroit
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Detroit is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Detroit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
    • Straut
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Straut is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Straut
    • Time
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Time is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Time
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
    • Valley City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Valley City is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 14 people
    • Nebo
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Griggsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Pittsfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Maxwell ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Maxwell is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
    • Lowder
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • New Berlin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Manchester
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Alsey
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Glasgow
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Glasgow is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glasgow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Winchester
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Exeter
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Exeter is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Oxville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Oxville is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxville
    • Bluffs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Naples
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Pike County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Barrow, with the one closest to Barrow listed first.
    • Annada
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Annada is located in Pike County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annada
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28 people
    • Clarksville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Barrow ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Barrow.

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

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

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

  • Thompson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Williams - Edwards Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Williams - Edwards Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Fernwood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Wilson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Bower Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Pinetree Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Johnson Burial Ground
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hicks Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Tunnison Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Jewitt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (489 more) ...
    • Rawlins Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Wilmington Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Smith Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Barrow had a population of 109 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Roodhouse
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Patterson
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • White Hall
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Alsey
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Manchester
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Glasgow
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Glasgow is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glasgow
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
  • Walkerville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Walkerville is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkerville
  • Berdan
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Berdan is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berdan
  • Murrayville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Bedford
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Wrights
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Montezuma
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Montezuma is located in Pike County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montezuma
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Athensville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Athensville is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athensville
    • Pearl
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Woodson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Barrow ...

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 158 newspapers that have been published in the area around Barrow.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Barrow, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Barrow.

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 websites either 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 Barrow:

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>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 Barrow, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<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- Barrow) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.