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 Bellbrook (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 Bellbrook. 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 hospitals 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.
Bellbrook 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 Bellbrook. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bellbrook:
- Will County (The home county of Bellbrook)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Homer Glen
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Homer Glen is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,281 people
- Homer Glen has also been known as:
- Homer Glen village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer Glen <1>
- Goodings Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Mokena
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Lenox
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Brisbane
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Cherry Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Hill is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Hill
- Lockport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Frankfort
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Joliet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Fairmont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Fairmont is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Orland Hills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Orland Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tinley Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Palos Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lemont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Palos Heights
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Forest
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Palos Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Crestwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Hills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Matteson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Darien
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Woodridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Clarendon Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Westmont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hinsdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Downers Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lisle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Naperville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Channahon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Minooka
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Diamond
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Coal City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Gaslight Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Morris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Braceville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Central City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Aurora
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Batavia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mooseheart
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
- Geneva
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sugar Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Manteno
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bourbonnais
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Grant Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Saint George
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Bradley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bonfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Essex
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Boulder Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Oswego
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Montgomery
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Yorkville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lisbon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Dyer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Hammond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Munster
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Whiting
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- East Chicago
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Hessville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Highland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Saint John
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Schererville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Griffith
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- New Elliott
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bellbrook, see our County-by-County Page for Bellbrook.
Cemeteries Near Bellbrook ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bellbrook.
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 Bellbrook - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bellbrook covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Hadley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- St. Michael Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Michael Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Michael Catholic Cemetery is located in Homer Glen.
- The St. Michael Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Michael Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108034 <3>
- Brooks Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Brooks Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northwest of Homer Glen.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104889 <3>
- Marshall Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Marys Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Marys Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Mokena.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #209640 <3>
- Good Shepherd Catholic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Orland Memorial Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orland Memorial Park Cemetery
- The Orland Memorial Park Cemetery has also been known as:
- Cooper Cemetery
- Orland Park Cemetery
- Barnett Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Barnett Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southeast of Lockport.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104636 <3>
- St. Johns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Johns Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Johns Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Mokena.
- The St. Johns Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Johns United Church of Christ Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1987604 <3>
- Pioneer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maplewood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- German Methodist Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (399 more) ...
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- St. Cyrils Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Cyril and Methodius Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<4>
While we didn't find Bellbrook in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bellbrook.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bellbrook, with the one closest to Bellbrook listed first.
- Marley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Marley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marley
- Alpine
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Alpine is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Goodings Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Mokena
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Lenox
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Steele
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Steele is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele
- Spencer
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Spencer is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Brisbane
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Tinley Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lockport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- East Joliet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Goeselville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Goeselville is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goeselville
- Sag Bridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Sag Bridge is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sag Bridge
- Lemont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bellbrook. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bellbrook.
Newspapers Published in Bellbrook ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bellbrook.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bellbrook, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bellbrook.
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 Bellbrook:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Grundy County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bellbrook) 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 Bellbrook, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |