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 Boaz (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 Boaz. 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 and doctors 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.
Boaz is located in Massac 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 Massac County: Johnson, Pope, Pulaski, Livingston (KY) & McCracken (KY).
Below are the counties that are near Boaz. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Boaz:
- Massac County (The home county of Boaz)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- New Columbia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- New Columbia is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
- Joppa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Big Bay
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Big Bay is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
- Metropolis
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Massac City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Massac City is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massac City
- Brookport
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Unionville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Unionville is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
- Alexander County
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Elco
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Tamms
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hodges Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hodges Park is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodges Park
- Unity
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cache
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Cairo Junction
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Cairo Junction is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo Junction
- Frog City ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Frog City is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog City
- Diswood
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Diswood is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diswood
- Cairo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Future City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Future City is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Future City
- Olive Branch
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Miller City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hardin County
- Shetlerville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Shetlerville is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shetlerville
- Jackson County
- Makanda
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Belknap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bender ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bender is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bender
- Vienna
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cypress
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wartrace
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wartrace is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
- Reevesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Reevesville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reevesville
- Grantsburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Buncombe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Simpson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Reynoldsburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
- Goreville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Ozark
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Dixon Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon Springs is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
- Glendale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glendale is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Rock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rock is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
- McCormick
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- McCormick is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
- Bay City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bay City is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay City
- Eddyville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Golconda
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lusk
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lusk is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lusk
- Hamletsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Hartsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsville is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
- Leisure City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leisure City is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure City
- Oak
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oak is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
- Pulaski County
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Karnak
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- New Grand Chain
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- 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
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Perks
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Olmsted
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ullin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Pulaski
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Villa Ridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Villa Ridge is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Ridge
- Mound City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mounds
(20 miles [32.2 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
- Stonefort
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Mount Pleasant
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Dongola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Lick Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lick Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
- Mill Creek
(19 miles [30.6 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
- Anna
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dutch Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dutch Mills is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
- Jonesboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Water Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Water Valley is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
- Cobden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Reynoldsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Reynoldsville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
- Alto Pass
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Lake Crest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lake Crest is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Crest
- Creal Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Marion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ballard County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Bandana
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bandana is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandana
- Kevil
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- La Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Ceredo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Ceredo is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceredo
- Barlow
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Barlow is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 628 people
- Gage
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Gage is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gage
- Lovelaceville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Lovelaceville is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelaceville
- Blandville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Blandville is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blandville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Wickliffe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Carlisle County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Cunningham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bardwell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Graves County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Melber
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Melber is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melber
- Lowes
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Lowes is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowes
- Livingston County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Ledbetter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Burna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Burna is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burna
- Carrsville
(29 miles [46.7 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
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hampton is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- Smithland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- McCracken County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Ragland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ragland is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragland
- Cimota City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Cimota City is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cimota City
- Woodville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Woodville is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Grahamville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Grahamville is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grahamville
- Future City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Future City
- West Future City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- West Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Future City
- West Paducah
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Camelia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Camelia is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camelia
- Lone Oak
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Oak is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Oak
- Massac
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Massac is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massac
- Paducah
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hendron
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hendron is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendron
- Mississippi County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Greenfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Greenfield is located in Mississippi County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Wyatt
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wyatt is located in Mississippi County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Boaz, see our County-by-County Page for Boaz.
Cemeteries Near Boaz ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Boaz.
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 Boaz - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Boaz covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Anderson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Cemetery
- The Anderson Cemetery has also been known as:
- Anderson Congregational Church Cemetery
- Boaz Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #442246 <2>
- Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Copland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Masonic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Miller Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hitchcock Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mosley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ohio Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Kirkendall Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Nineveh Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Burnham Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Curtis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (501 more) ...
- Shiloh Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Morgan Cemetery
- The Morgan Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106966 <2>
- Scoggins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Boaz had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Boaz, with the one closest to Boaz listed first.
- Grinnell
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Grinnell is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grinnell
- Hillerman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hillerman is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillerman
- Belknap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Grand Chain
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- New Grand Chain is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Grand Chain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
- Joppa
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Columbia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- New Columbia is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
- Samoth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Samoth is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoth
- Grand Chain
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Vienna
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Ragland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ragland is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragland
- Round Knob
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Round Knob is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Knob
- Big Bay
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Big Bay is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Wartrace
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wartrace is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
- Bandana
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bandana is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandana
- Reevesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Reevesville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reevesville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Boaz. See our List of 1890's Communities around Boaz.
Newspapers Published in Boaz ...
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 89 newspapers that have been published in the area around Boaz.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Boaz, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Boaz.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Boaz:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Massac County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alexander County
- Hardin County
- Jackson County
- Johnson County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Saline County
- Union County
- Williamson County
- Ballard County
- Carlisle County
- Graves County
- Livingston County
- McCracken County
- Mississippi 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 Boaz, 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 from Point A (ie- Boaz) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |