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 Bryant (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 Bryant. 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 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.
Bryant is located in Fulton 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 Fulton County: Knox, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Schuyler, Tazewell & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Bryant. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bryant:
- Fulton County (The home county of Bryant)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Dunfermline
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Saint David
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lewistown
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cuba
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Canton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fiatt
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Liverpool
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sepo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Banner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Brereton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Brereton is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
- Breeds
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
- Bybee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bybee is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
- Cass County
- Chandlerville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Yates City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Maquon
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Saint Augustine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- De Long
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- De Long is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Long
- Gilson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Abingdon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Buzzville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Buzzville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
- Goofy Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
- Havana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Topeka
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Union
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Forest City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Manito
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Long Branch
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Long Branch is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Poplar City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bath
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Easton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kilbourne
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- McDonough County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- New Philadelphia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- New Philadelphia is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Philadelphia
- Adair
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Prairie City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie City is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Bushnell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bardolph
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Industry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- East Village is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
- Macomb
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- University Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- University Village is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Village
- Menard County
- Oakford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Glasford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kingston Mines
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Trivoli
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mapleton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Elmwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Hanna City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bartonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bellevue
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bellevue is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,037 people
- Edwards
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Maxwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Maxwell is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Norwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Norwood is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Brimfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Schuyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Bluff City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Bader
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bader is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
- Browning
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Radville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Radville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
- Talbott
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Talbott is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talbott
- Parkland
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Parkland is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
- Stoehrs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Stoehrs is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoehrs
- Midway
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Midway is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Powerton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Powerton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powerton
- Crescent
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Crescent is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Hawley ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hawley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
- South Pekin
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- South Pekin is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pekin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
- Green Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Pekin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Schaeferville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Schaeferville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schaeferville
- Warren County
- Youngstown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Youngstown is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngstown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bryant, see our County-by-County Page for Bryant.
Cemeteries Near Bryant ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bryant.
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 Bryant - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bryant covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Maryville Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Salem Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Wright Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Saunders - Blackaby Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Connor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- McNeil Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Thompson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Highbridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Shields Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (346 more) ...
- Pollitt Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Bethel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Cuba 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bryant had a population of 309 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Bryant had a population of 209 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bryant, with the one closest to Bryant listed first.
- Dunfermline
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Saint David
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Maples Mill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Maples Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maples Mill
- Civer ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Civer is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Civer
- Lewistown
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cuba
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Liverpool
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Canton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fiatt
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sepo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Rawalts
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rawalts is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawalts
- Monterey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Monterey is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Bybee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bybee is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
- Banner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Breeds
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bryant. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bryant.
Newspapers Published in Bryant ...
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 152 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bryant.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bryant, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bryant.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Bryant:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Fulton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cass County
- Knox County
- Mason County
- McDonough County
- Menard County
- Peoria County
- Schuyler County
- Tazewell County
- Warren 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 Bryant, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Bryant) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |