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 Belden (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 Belden. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Belden is located in McHenry 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 McHenry County: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Lake, Kenosha (WI) & Walworth (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Belden. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Belden:
- McHenry County (The home county of Belden)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Richmond
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Solon Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hebron
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Spring Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Greenwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Greenwood is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Wonder Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Wonder Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wonder Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,837 people
- Wonder Lake has also been known as:
- Wonder Lake village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wonder Lake <1>
- Ringwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- McCullom Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- McCullom Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCullom Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 996 people
- Johnsburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pistakee Highlands
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pistakee Highlands is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pistakee Highlands
- Sunnyside
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sunnyside is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Alden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- McHenry
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Capron
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Garden Prairie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Russellville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Russellville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Poplar Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Caledonia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Timberlane
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Timberlane is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 934 people
- Belvidere
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Barrington Hills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Barrington Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,152 people
- Barrington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Inverness
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Barrington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- South Barrington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,976 people
- Capri Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Palatine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hoffman Estates
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Plum Grove Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- DeKalb County
- New Lebanon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Carpentersville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Freeman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- West Dundee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Gilberts
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- East Dundee
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hampshire
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Sleepy Hollow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Pingree Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Starks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- North Plato
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- North Plato is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Plato
- Elgin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Fox Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Channel Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Channel Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Channel Lake
- Lake Catherine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Lake Catherine is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Catherine
- Fox Lake Hills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Fox Lake Hills is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Lake Hills
- Ingleside
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Monaville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Monaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monaville
- Long Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Long Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Lake
- Round Lake Heights
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Volo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Antioch
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lake Villa
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lake Villa is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Villa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,525 people
- Fort Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Round Lake Beach
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson County (WI)
- Palmyra
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Palmyra is located in Jefferson County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,746 people
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Powers Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
- Twin Lakes
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Slades Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Fox River
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Camp Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Benet Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Salem Lakes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Paddock Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Bristol
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Brighton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brighton is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Woodworth
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Paris
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Paris is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Milwaukee County (WI)
- Union Church
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Union Church is located in Milwaukee County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Church
- Racine County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Bohners Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Bohners Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohners Lake
- Burlington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Burlington is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,898 people
- Browns Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Browns Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Lake
- Honey Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Honey Creek is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
- Rochester
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rochester is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,880 people
- Eagle Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Eagle Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Union Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Union Grove is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,266 people
- Waterford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Waterford is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,618 people
- Yorkville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Yorkville is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Caldwell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Caldwell is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
- Wind Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Wind Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wind Lake
- Sturtevant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sturtevant is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturtevant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,637 people
- Mount Pleasant
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27,048 people
- Rock County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Clinton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Clinton is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,119 people
- Johnstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Johnstown is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnstown
- Avalon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Avalon is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avalon
- Emerald Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Emerald Grove is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Grove
- Johnstown Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Johnstown Center is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnstown Center
- Shopiere
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Shopiere is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shopiere
- Tiffany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Tiffany is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiffany
- Walworth County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Genoa City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Pell Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Zenda
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Zenda is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenda
- Lake Geneva
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- Como
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
- Lake Como Beach ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como Beach is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como Beach
- Lake Como
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Lyons
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Lyons is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons
- Springfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Springfield is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,743 people
- Williams Bay
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Bay is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,657 people
- Big Foot Prairie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Big Foot Prairie is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Foot Prairie
- Voree ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Voree is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voree
- Waukesha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Eagleville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Eagleville is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagleville
- Mukwonago
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Mukwonago is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mukwonago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,107 people
- Eagle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Eagle is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,193 people
- Big Bend
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Big Bend is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,487 people
- Muskego
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Muskego is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muskego
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,317 people
- Vernon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Vernon is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Durham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Durham is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Belden, see our County-by-County Page for Belden.
Cemeteries Near Belden ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Belden.
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 Belden - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Belden covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Richmond Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hillside Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- South Hebron Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomfield Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cedarvale Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Solon Mills Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Washington Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mound Prairie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Old Bloomfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hebron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (282 more) ...
- Christ The King Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Carr - Harrison Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Peters Catholic Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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 Belden in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Belden.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Belden, with the one closest to Belden listed first.
- Richmond
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Solon Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hebron
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ringwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Twin Lakes
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Bassett
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bassett is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Slades Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Johnsburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fox Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Alden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- McHenry
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Lake Geneva
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- New Munster
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- New Munster is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Munster
- Grass Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Grass Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grass Lake
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Belden. See our List of 1890's Communities around Belden.
Newspapers Published in Belden ...
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 132 newspapers that have been published in the area around Belden.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Belden, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Belden.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Belden:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to McHenry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- Kane County
- Lake County
- Jefferson County
- Kenosha County
- Milwaukee County
- Racine County
- Rock County
- Walworth County
- Waukesha 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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Belden) 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 Belden, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |