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 Brownsville (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 Brownsville. 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 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.
Brownsville is located in White 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 White County: Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Saline, Wayne, Gibson (IN) & Posey (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Brownsville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brownsville:
- White County (The home county of Brownsville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Stokes
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stokes is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
- Carmi
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Enfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Herald
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Norris City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Roland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Roland is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Emma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Maunie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Springerton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Crossville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Burnt Prairie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Phillipstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Phillipstown is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Mill Shoals
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Edwards County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Ellery
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Albion
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Red Top
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Red Top is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Top
- Browns
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Akin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Frisco
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Frisco is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- Thompsonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Taylor Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Taylor Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Hill
- Gallatin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Omaha
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- New Haven
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Inman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Inman is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inman
- Elba
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Elba is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Ridgway
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Equality
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lawler
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lawler is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawler
- Shawneetown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Old Shawneetown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Old Shawneetown is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Shawneetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Bowlesville ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Bowlesville is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlesville
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Bungay
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bungay is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bungay
- Jefferson City ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
- Broughton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Dale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- McLeansboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Diamond City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Diamond City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond City
- Walpole
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Walpole is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walpole
- Piopolis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Piopolis is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piopolis
- Flint
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Flint is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Belle Prairie City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Belle Prairie City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Lovilla
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Lovilla is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovilla
- Macedonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Dahlgren
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson County
- Belle Rive
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saline County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Texas City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Texas City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas City
- Saline City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Saline City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saline City
- Eldorado
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Red Bud ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Red Bud is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bud
- Long Branch
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Long Branch is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Raleigh
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wasson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wasson is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasson
- Cornerville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cornerville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornerville
- Cottage Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cottage Grove is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Grove
- Galatia
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Muddy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gaskins City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gaskins City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskins City
- Harrisburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wabash County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Bellmont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keensburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Barnhill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Golden Gate
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Fairfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Boyleston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Boyleston is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyleston
- Sims
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wayne City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Geff
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Jeffersonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Jeffersonville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffersonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 350 people
- Keenes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Williamson County
- Hartford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hartford is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Posey County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Savah
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Savah is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savah
- New Harmony
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Solitude
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Solitude is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solitude
- Hovey
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hovey is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hovey
- Mount Vernon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Springfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Springfield is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Griffin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Griffin is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Bufkin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bufkin is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bufkin
- Oliver
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Oliver is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oliver
- Barrett
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Barrett is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrett
- Hepburn
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hepburn is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hepburn
- Stewartsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Stewartsville is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartsville
- Caborn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Caborn is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caborn
- Union County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Raleigh
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Raleigh is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh
- Uniontown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Uniontown is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
- Chapman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chapman is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Hitesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hitesville is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitesville
- Morganfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brownsville, see our County-by-County Page for Brownsville.
Cemeteries Near Brownsville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brownsville.
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 Brownsville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brownsville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Rice Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Moore Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Saunders Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Garden of Memories
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Felty Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Johnson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ditney Ridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Green Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Young Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dawn of Ages Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Ridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (353 more) ...
- St. Polycarp Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- North Maple Ridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Newman Family 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 in 1895, Brownsville had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brownsville, with the one closest to Brownsville listed first.
- Stokes
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Stokes is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
- Iron
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Iron is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron
- Carmi
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Sacramento
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sacramento is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sacramento
- Norris City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Herald
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Enfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Roland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Roland is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Elm Grove ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Elm Grove is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
- Emma
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gossett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gossett is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gossett
- Omaha
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Cottonwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Cottonwood is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
- Logansport ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Logansport is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logansport
- New Haven
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brownsville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brownsville.
Newspapers Published in Brownsville ...
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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brownsville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brownsville, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brownsville.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Brownsville:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to White County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Edwards County
- Franklin County
- Gallatin County
- Hamilton County
- Jefferson County
- Saline County
- Wabash County
- Wayne County
- Williamson County
- Posey County
- Union 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> | 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 Brownsville, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Brownsville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |