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 Bourbonnais (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 Bourbonnais. 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 hospitals 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.
Bourbonnais is located in Kankakee 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 Kankakee County: Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, Will, Lake (IN) & Newton (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Bourbonnais. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bourbonnais:
- Kankakee County (The home county of Bourbonnais)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Bradley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kankakee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Saint George
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Manteno
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Limestone
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Aroma Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sun River Terrace
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Otto
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Bonfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sammons Point
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Sammons Point is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sammons Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
- Sammons Point has also been known as:
- Sammons Point village
- Goodrich
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Irwin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Richton Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Matteson
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Park Forest
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Olympia Fields
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Flossmoor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Tinley Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sauk Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ford Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Glenwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Cabery
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kempton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Clarke City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- Braceville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Diamond
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- South Wilmington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Central City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Coal City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Gardner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Channahon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Minooka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Chebanse
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Papineau
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clifton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- L'Erable
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Beaverville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Martinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ashkum
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Donovan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Danforth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Crescent City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Iroquois
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gilman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Cardiff
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Campus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Emington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cullom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dwight
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Griswold
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Peotone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wilton Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Wallingford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Symerton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Custer Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Lakewood Shores
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
- Wilmington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Manhattan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Beecher
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Monee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Braidwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Elwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Illinoi
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Schneider
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Lowell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cedar Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Shelby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Shelby is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Dyer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Saint John
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dinwiddie is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinwiddie
- Hartsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Schererville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Lake Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Sumava Resorts
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Morocco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Thayer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Roselawn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Beaver City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bourbonnais, see our County-by-County Page for Bourbonnais.
Cemeteries Near Bourbonnais ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bourbonnais.
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 Bourbonnais - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bourbonnais covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- All Saint Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Maternity Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Van Meter Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Limestone Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone Cemetery
- The Limestone Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hawkins Cemetery
- Mound Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Rose Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Rose Cemetery
- The St. Rose Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Rose Catholic Cemetery
- St. Rose of Lima Cemetery
- Blooms Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- B'nai Israel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kankakee Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- St. George Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- State of Illinois Veterans Home Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (260 more) ...
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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 Bourbonnais in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bourbonnais.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bourbonnais, with the one closest to Bourbonnais listed first.
- Kankakee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Greenwich
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Greenwich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
- Saint George
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Exline
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Exline is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
- Deselm
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Deselm is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deselm
- Bonfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Otto
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Goodrich
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Irwin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Koster
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Koster is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koster
- Momence
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Peotone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Chebanse
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Grant Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Ritchie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ritchie is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bourbonnais. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bourbonnais.
Newspapers Published in Bourbonnais ...
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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bourbonnais.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bourbonnais, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bourbonnais.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Bourbonnais:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kankakee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Livingston County
- Will County
- Lake County
- Newton 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 Bourbonnais, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Bourbonnais) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |