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The Commemorative Quarter for Illinois





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 Benson (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 Benson. 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 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.

Benson is located in Woodford County.

To see how the shape of Illinois' counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Woodford County: La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McLean, Peoria & Tazewell.

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

  • Woodford County     (The home county of Benson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Woodford
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Woodford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
      • Woodford is located in Woodford County
    • Minonk
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Roanoke
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Roanoke have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roanoke
      • Roanoke is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,966 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roanoke <2>
    • Panola
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Panola have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
      • Panola is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Secor
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Secor have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secor
      • Secor is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 351 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Secor <2>
    • El Paso
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for El Paso have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Paso
      • El Paso is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,700 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for El Paso <2>
    • Washburn
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Washburn have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washburn
      • Washburn is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,064 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Washburn <2>
    • Eureka
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Eureka have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
      • Eureka is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,232 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eureka <2>
    • Kappa
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
      • Kappa is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
    • Metamora
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Metamora have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metamora
      • Metamora is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,648 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Metamora <2>
    • Congerville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Congerville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congerville
      • Congerville is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 494 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Congerville <2>
    • Goodfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Goodfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodfield
      • Goodfield is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 986 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Goodfield <2>
    • Germantown Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Germantown Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germantown Hills
      • Germantown Hills is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,390 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Germantown Hills <2>
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Rutland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rutland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
      • Rutland is located in La Salle County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rutland <2>
    • Dana
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dana have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
      • Dana is located in La Salle County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dana <2>
    • Lostant
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
      • Lostant is located in La Salle County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
      • Lostant has also been known as:
      • Lost Ant
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <2>
    • Priscilla ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Priscilla. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<3>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priscilla
      • Priscilla is located in La Salle County
    • Streator
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Leonore
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Kangley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kangley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
      • Kangley is located in La Salle County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
    • Tonica
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Cedar Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cedar Point have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Point
      • Cedar Point is located in La Salle County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 251 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cedar Point <2>
    • Kernan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kernan have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
      • Kernan is located in La Salle County
    • Vermilionville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
      • Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
    • Oglesby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Grand Ridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Flanagan
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Flanagan have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flanagan
      • Flanagan is located in Livingston County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,057 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Flanagan <2>
    • Long Point
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Long Point have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Point
      • Long Point is located in Livingston County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Long Point <2>
    • Graymont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Graymont have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graymont
      • Graymont is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Graymont <2>
    • Ancona
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Munster
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
      • Munster is located in Livingston County
    • Cornell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cornell have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornell
      • Cornell is located in Livingston County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cornell <2>
    • Vermilion City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Vermilion City have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion City
      • Vermilion City is located in Livingston County
    • Pontiac
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pontiac have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontiac
      • Pontiac is located in Livingston County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,176 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pontiac <2>
    • Missal
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Missal have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
      • Missal is located in Livingston County
    • Blackstone
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Blackstone have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackstone
      • Blackstone is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blackstone <2>
    • Cayuga
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
      • Cayuga is located in Livingston County
    • McDowell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
      • McDowell is located in Livingston County
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Toluca
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Toluca have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toluca
      • Toluca is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Toluca <2>
    • La Rose
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for La Rose have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Rose
      • La Rose is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for La Rose <2>
    • Evans ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
      • Evans is located in Marshall County
    • Varna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Varna have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varna
      • Varna is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Varna <2>
    • Wenona
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Wenona have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenona
      • Wenona is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 926 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wenona <2>
    • Hopewell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hopewell have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
      • Hopewell is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
    • Lacon
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lacon have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacon
      • Lacon is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,713 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacon <2>
    • Sparland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sparland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparland
      • Sparland is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sparland <2>
    • Henry
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Henry have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry
      • Henry is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,230 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Henry <2>
    • Camp Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • McLean County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Gridley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Gridley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gridley
      • Gridley is located in McLean County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,392 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gridley <2>
    • Carlock
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Carlock have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlock
      • Carlock is located in McLean County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 558 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Carlock <2>
    • Hudson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hudson have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
      • Hudson is located in McLean County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,810 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hudson <2>
    • Meadows
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
      • Meadows is located in McLean County
    • Chenoa
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Danvers
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Danvers have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
      • Danvers is located in McLean County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
      • Danvers has also been known as:
      • Danver
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <2>
    • Yuton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuton
      • Yuton is located in McLean County
    • Lexington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lexington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
      • Lexington is located in McLean County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,020 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lexington <2>
    • Towanda
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Towanda have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Towanda
      • Towanda is located in McLean County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Towanda <2>
    • Normal
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Weston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
      • Weston is located in McLean County
    • Bloomington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Merna
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Merna have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merna
      • Merna is located in McLean County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Merna <2>
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Chillicothe
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Rome
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Mossville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mossville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mossville
      • Mossville is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mossville <2>
    • Peoria Heights
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Keller
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Keller have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
      • Keller is located in Peoria County
    • Peoria
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Edelstein
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Edelstein have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edelstein
      • Edelstein is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Edelstein <2>
    • West Peoria
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West Peoria have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Peoria
      • West Peoria is located in Peoria County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,418 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West Peoria <2>
    • Dunlap
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Pottstown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
      • Pottstown is located in Peoria County
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Magnolia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Magnolia have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
      • Magnolia is located in Putnam County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Magnolia <2>
    • McNabb
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for McNabb have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNabb
      • McNabb is located in Putnam County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 258 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for McNabb <2>
    • Mount Palatine
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mount Palatine have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
      • Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
    • Putnam
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Standard
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Granville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Granville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
      • Granville is located in Putnam County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,298 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Granville <2>
    • Hennepin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hennepin have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hennepin
      • Hennepin is located in Putnam County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 701 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hennepin <2>
    • Mark
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mark have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mark
      • Mark is located in Putnam County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 546 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mark <2>
  • Stark County
    • Speer
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Speer have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speer
      • Speer is located in Stark County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Speer <2>
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Benson, with the one closest to Benson listed first.
    • Deer Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Washington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Cooper
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
      • Cooper is located in Tazewell County
    • Harvard Hills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Hills
      • Harvard Hills is located in Tazewell County
    • Beverly Manor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Manor
      • Beverly Manor is located in Tazewell County
    • Crandall ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Crandall have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crandall
      • Crandall is located in Tazewell County
    • Mayfair
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfair
      • Mayfair is located in Tazewell County
    • Sunnyland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sunnyland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyland
      • Sunnyland is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sunnyland <2>
    • Trailpark Gardens
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Trailpark Gardens have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailpark Gardens
      • Trailpark Gardens is located in Tazewell County
    • Lilly
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
      • Lilly is located in Tazewell County
    • Robein
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robein
      • Robein is located in Tazewell County
    • Allentown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allentown
      • Allentown is located in Tazewell County
    • Farmdale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Farmdale have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmdale
      • Farmdale is located in Tazewell County

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Benson ...

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 125 newspapers that have been published in the area around Benson.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Benson. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Benson and those printed in the larger area surrounding Benson.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4> of Benson.

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 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 Benson:

Cemeteries Near Benson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Benson.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

  • St. John Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. John Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. John Cemetery
  • Clayton Twp. Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Clayton Twp. Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Clayton Twp. Cemetery
  • Clayton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Clayton Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Clayton Cemetery
  • St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
  • Trinity Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Trinity Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Trinity Cemetery
  • Roanke Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Roanke Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Roanke Cemetery
  • Church of the Brethren Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Church of the Brethren Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Church of the Brethren Cemetery
  • St. Peters Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Peters Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Peters Cemetery
  • Davison Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Carroll Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Carroll Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Carroll Cemetery
  • Hollenback Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hallenback Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Hallenback Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Hallenback Cemetery
  • Continue List   (287 more) ...
    • Harper Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Harper Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Harper Cemetery
    • St. Patrick Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • St. Patricks Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Patricks Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Patricks Cemetery

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.<6>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Benson had a population of 338 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Benson had a population of 401 people.

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

  • Roanoke
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Roanoke have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roanoke
    • Roanoke is located in Woodford County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,966 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roanoke <2>
  • Minonk
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Secor
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Secor have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secor
    • Secor is located in Woodford County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 351 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Secor <2>
  • El Paso
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for El Paso have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Paso
    • El Paso is located in Woodford County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,700 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for El Paso <2>
  • Rutland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rutland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
    • Rutland is located in La Salle County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rutland <2>
  • La Rose
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for La Rose have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Rose
    • La Rose is located in Marshall County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for La Rose <2>
  • Toluca
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Toluca have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toluca
    • Toluca is located in Marshall County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Toluca <2>
  • Washburn
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Washburn have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washburn
    • Washburn is located in Woodford County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,064 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Washburn <2>
  • Low Point
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Low Point have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Low Point
    • Low Point is located in Woodford County
  • Dana
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dana have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
    • Dana is located in La Salle County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dana <2>
  • Cazenovia
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cazenovia have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cazenovia
    • Cazenovia is located in Woodford County
  • Eureka
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Eureka have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
    • Eureka is located in Woodford County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,232 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eureka <2>
  • Continue List   (21 more) ...
    • Metamora
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Metamora have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metamora
      • Metamora is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,648 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Metamora <2>
    • Cruger
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cruger have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruger
      • Cruger is located in Woodford County
    • Kappa
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
      • Kappa is located in Woodford County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people

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

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Benson. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for State of Illinois: https://illinois.gov

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Benson) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Benson. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 40.8504, Longitude: -89.1209       In this case, the coordinates for Benson have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<5>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.
<6>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 Benson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024