RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Johnson County >> Bloomfield >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Bloomfield (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 Bloomfield. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Bloomfield is located in Johnson 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 Johnson County: Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union & Williamson.

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

  • Johnson County     (The home county of Bloomfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Vienna
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Bender ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Bender is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bender
    • Buncombe
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Simpson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Reynoldsburg
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
    • Wartrace
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Wartrace is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
    • Ozark
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Goreville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Grantsburg
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Eagle Point Bay
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Eagle Point Bay is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Point Bay
    • Deer Ridge
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Deer Ridge is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Ridge
    • Belknap
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Cypress
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Elco
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Tamms
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Tamms is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamms
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tamms <1>
    • Diswood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Diswood is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diswood
    • Hodges Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Hodges Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodges Park
    • Unity
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Franklin County
    • Fitt's Hill ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Fitt's Hill is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitt's Hill
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Shetlerville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Shetlerville is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shetlerville
    • Mineral City ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Mineral City is located in Hardin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral City
    • Rosiclare
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Karbers Ridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Makanda
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Carbondale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Pomona
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Massac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • New Columbia
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • New Columbia is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
    • Big Bay
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Big Bay is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
    • Joppa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Massac City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Massac City is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massac City
    • Metropolis
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Brookport
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Shady Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Shady Grove is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Unionville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Unionville is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Glendale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Glendale is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Dixon Springs
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Dixon Springs is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
    • McCormick
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • McCormick is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
    • Rock
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Rock is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
    • Eddyville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Oak
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Oak is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
    • Golconda
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Hartsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Hartsville is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
    • Lusk
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Lusk is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lusk
    • Leisure City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Leisure City is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure City
    • Herod
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Bay City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bay City is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay City
  • Pulaski County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Karnak
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Perks
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • New Grand Chain
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • New Grand Chain is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Grand Chain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
    • Grand Chain
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Ullin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Olmsted
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Pulaski
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Villa Ridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Villa Ridge is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Ridge
    • Mound City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Mounds
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mounds is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mounds
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 666 people
  • Saline County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Stonefort
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Carrier Mills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Carrier Mills is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrier Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,527 people
      • Former names for Carrier Mills:
      • Carriers Mills
      • Morrilsville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Carrier Mills <1>
    • Mitchellsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Mitchellsville is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchellsville
    • Ledford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Ledford is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledford
    • Buena Vista
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Buena Vista is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
    • Liberty
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Liberty is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
    • Harrisburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Gaskins City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Gaskins City is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskins City
    • Muddy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Galatia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Mount Pleasant
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Lick Creek
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Lick Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
    • Dongola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Water Valley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Water Valley is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
    • Anna
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Anna is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,059 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>
    • Cobden
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Dutch Mills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Dutch Mills is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
    • Jonesboro
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Mill Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Mill Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Alto Pass
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Reynoldsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Reynoldsville is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Lake Crest
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Lake Crest is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Crest
    • Creal Springs
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Marion
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Marion is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,417 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marion <1>
    • Spillertown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Spillertown is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spillertown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
    • Pittsburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Crainville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Crainville is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crainville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,419 people
    • Energy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Energy is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Energy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,086 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Energy <1>
    • Whiteash
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Whiteash is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteash
      • Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
    • Carterville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Corinth
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Corinth is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Herrin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Herrin is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,625 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Herrin <1>
    • Johnston City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Dewmaine
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Dewmaine is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewmaine
  • Ballard County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Bandana
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Bandana is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandana
    • Kevil
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Kevil is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kevil
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kevil <1>
    • La Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Ceredo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Ceredo is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceredo
    • Barlow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Barlow is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 628 people
  • Livingston County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Carrsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Carrsville is located in Livingston County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
    • Hampton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Hampton is located in Livingston County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
  • McCracken County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bloomfield, with the one closest to Bloomfield listed first.
    • Ragland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Ragland is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragland
    • Cimota City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Cimota City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cimota City
    • Grahamville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Grahamville is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grahamville
    • Woodville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Woodville is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
    • West Paducah
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Future City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Future City
    • West Future City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • West Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Future City
    • Paducah
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Paducah is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paducah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,883 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Paducah <1>
    • Camelia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Camelia is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camelia
    • Lone Oak
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Lone Oak is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Oak

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

Cemeteries Near Bloomfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bloomfield.

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

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

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

  • Morray Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Harrett Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Oliver Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Vienna Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • McCorkle Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Whiteside Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Stewart Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Rose Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Johnson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Ledbetter Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Concord Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Thomas Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (537 more) ...
    • Francis Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Holt Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Albright Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bloomfield had a population of 73 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Vienna
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Sandburn
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Sandburn is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandburn
  • Tunnel Hill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Buncombe
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Wartrace
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Wartrace is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
  • Simpson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Grantsburg
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Ozark
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Goreville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Elvira
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Elvira is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvira
  • Belknap
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Samoth
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Samoth is located in Massac County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoth
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Parker
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Parker is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parker
    • Moscow
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Moscow is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
    • New Burnside
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Bloomfield ...

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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bloomfield.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bloomfield, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bloomfield.

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 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 Bloomfield:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Bloomfield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Bloomfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.