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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 Bobtown (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 Bobtown. 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 doctors and 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.

Bobtown is located in Menard 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 Menard County: Cass, Logan, Mason & Sangamon.

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

  • Menard County     (The home county of Bobtown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Oakford
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Petersburg
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Tallula
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Greenview
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Athens
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Croft
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Croft is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Newmansville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Chandlerville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Philadelphia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Ashland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Burlingame
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Virginia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Jules
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jules is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
    • Old Princeton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
    • Bluff Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Oak Grove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Oak Grove is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Beardstown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Marbletown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
    • Sepo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Sepo is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
    • Summum
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Summum is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
    • Liverpool
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Astoria
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lewistown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Ipava
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Bryant
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Vermont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Dunfermline
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Saint David
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Banner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Cuba
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Cuba is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cuba <1>
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Middletown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • New Holland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Elkhart
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Broadwell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Emden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Kilbourne
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • White City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • White City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Long Branch
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Long Branch is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
    • Bath
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Poplar City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Easton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Snicarte
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Snicarte is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
    • Teheran
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Teheran is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
    • Havana
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Topeka
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Mason City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Buzzville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Buzzville is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
    • Forest City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Forest City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Prentice
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Literberry
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Arcadia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Arcadia is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Alexander
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Arnold
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Jacksonville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Concord
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • South Jacksonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Pisgah
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Chapin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Pleasant Plains
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Salisbury
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
    • Cantrall
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Berlin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Berlin is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
    • Pasfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Pasfield is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasfield
    • Sherman
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Williamsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • New Berlin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Curran
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Curran is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
    • Ridgely
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
    • Grandview
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Grandview is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
    • Hawthorne Place
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hawthorne Place is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne Place
    • Jerome
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Jerome is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Bluff City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Browning
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Bader
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Bader is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
    • Frederick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Rushville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bobtown, with the one closest to Bobtown listed first.
    • Winkel ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Winkel is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
    • Radville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Radville is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
    • Green Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Parkland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkland is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
    • Delavan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Bobtown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bobtown.

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

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

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

  • Dunschen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Hickey Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Watkins Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Oakford Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakford Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakford Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Oakford.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1172604 <2>
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Pratt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Pontiac Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Witty Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Atterberry Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Kilbourne Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Kilbourne Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Little Shepherd Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (383 more) ...
    • Newmansville Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Hash Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Concord Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)

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 Bobtown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bobtown.

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

  • Oakford
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Atterberry
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Atterberry is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atterberry
  • Kilbourne
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Newmansville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Newmansville is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
  • Sylvan ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Sylvan is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
  • Conover
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Conover is located in Mason County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conover
  • Chandlerville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Hill Top
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Hill Top is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Top
  • Petersburg
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Saidora
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Saidora is located in Mason County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saidora
  • Tallula
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Curtis
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Curtis is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Anderson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Anderson is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
    • Kelsey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Kelsey is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
    • Tice
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Tice is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tice

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

Newspapers Published in Bobtown ...

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 154 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bobtown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bobtown, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bobtown.

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 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 Bobtown:

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 Bobtown, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bobtown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.