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 Bellevue (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 Bellevue. 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.
Bellevue is located in Peoria 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 Peoria County: Fulton, Knox, Marshall, Stark, Tazewell & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Bellevue. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bellevue:
- Peoria County (The home county of Bellevue)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Maxwell
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Maxwell is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Norwood
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Norwood is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- West Peoria
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Pottstown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pottstown is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
- Bartonville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Peoria
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Orange Prairie
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- North Peoria
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- North Peoria is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
- Edwards
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Keller
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keller is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Peoria Heights
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hanna City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Mapleton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Breeds
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
- Banner
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Farmington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Brereton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Brereton is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
- Norris
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Canton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dunfermline
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Saint David
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bryant
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Liverpool
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bybee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bybee is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
- Fiatt
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Yates City
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Williamsfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Maquon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Dahinda
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Appleton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Appleton is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
- Gilson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Logan County
- Emden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Hopewell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Sparland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lacon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- La Rose
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Manito
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Union
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Forest City
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Goofy Ridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
- San Jose
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Buzzville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Buzzville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
- Natrona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Topeka
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Danvers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Danvers is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
- Danvers has also been known as:
- Danver
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <1>
- Carlock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Stanford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Speer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Wyoming
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- West Jersey
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- West Jersey is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
- Castleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Toulon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Wesley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wesley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- East Peoria
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- East Peoria is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peoria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,344 people
- Former name for East Peoria:
- Hilton
- Creve Coeur
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Creve Coeur is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creve Coeur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,109 people
- Former name for Creve Coeur:
- Wesley City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Creve Coeur <1>
- North Pekin
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- North Pekin is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pekin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,530 people
- Former name for North Pekin:
- Radio City
- Highway Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Highway Village is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highway Village
- Marquette Heights
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Marquette Heights is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquette Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,617 people
- Caldwell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Caldwell is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
- Farmdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Farmdale is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmdale
- Robein
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Robein is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robein
- Trailpark Gardens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Trailpark Gardens is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailpark Gardens
- Pekin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Gardena
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Gardena is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardena
- Crescent
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Crescent is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Bay View Gardens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bay View Gardens is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View Gardens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
- Germantown Hills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Bay
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Bay is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
- Metamora
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Eureka
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Goodfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Congerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Roanoke
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Washburn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Secor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bellevue, see our County-by-County Page for Bellevue.
Cemeteries Near Bellevue ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bellevue.
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 Bellevue - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bellevue covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Perria County Farm Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Mary's of the Woods Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Joseph's Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hebrew Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pottstown Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Christ Episcopal Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Peoria State Hospital Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria State Hospital Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Peoria State Hospital Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Bartonville.
- The Peoria State Hospital Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bartonville State Asylum Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1960165 <2>
- Parkview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cameron Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Trial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (331 more) ...
- Harker's Corner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Gerber Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerber Cemetery
- The Gerber Cemetery has also been known as:
- Gerber School Cemetery
- Koerner 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 Bellevue in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bellevue.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bellevue, with the one closest to Bellevue listed first.
- Maxwell
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Maxwell is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Kickapoo
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Kickapoo is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kickapoo
- Bartonville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Pottstown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Pottstown is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
- Wesley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wesley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Peoria
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Grove is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove
- North Peoria
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- North Peoria is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
- Orange Prairie
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Edwards
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Smithville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Smithville is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithville
- Orchard Mines
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Orchard Mines is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Mines
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Hollis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hollis is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis
- Keller
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keller is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Hanna City
(6 miles [9.7 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 Bellevue. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bellevue.
Newspapers Published in Bellevue ...
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 290 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bellevue.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bellevue, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bellevue.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Bellevue:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Peoria County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fulton County
- Knox County
- Logan County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- McLean County
- Stark County
- Tazewell County
- Woodford 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> | 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 Bellevue, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bellevue) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |