RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Iroquois County >> Buckley >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Buckley (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 Buckley. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Buckley is located in Iroquois 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 Iroquois County: Ford, Kankakee, Vermilion, Benton (IN) & Newton (IN).

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

  • Iroquois County     (The home county of Buckley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Del Rey
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
    • Loda
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Loda is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Loda <1>
    • Thawville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cissna Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Onarga
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Ridgeville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Ridgeville is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
    • Woodworth
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
    • Claytonville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Gilman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • La Hogue
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • La Hogue is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Hogue
    • Goodwine
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Schwer
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Schwer is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
    • Crescent City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Champaign County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Ludlow
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Gifford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Penfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Rantoul
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Prospect
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Prospect is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
    • Dewey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Flatville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Flatville is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
    • Thomasboro
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Fisher
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Fisher is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,911 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fisher <1>
    • Foosland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Royal
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Royal is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Royal <1>
    • Lotus
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lotus is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lotus
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Roberts
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Paxton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Melvin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Piper City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Elliott
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Sibley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Gibson City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Gibson City is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,275 people
      • Gibson City has also been known as:
      • Gibson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gibson City <1>
    • Garber
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Garber is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
    • Proctor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Proctor is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
    • Kempton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Cabery
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Chatsworth
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Strawn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Charlotte
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Charlotte is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlotte
    • Cullom
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Forrest
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wing
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Wing is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
    • Fairbury
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Griswold
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Griswold is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
    • Avoca ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Avoca is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
    • Saunemin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Emington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Eylar
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Eylar is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eylar
  • McLean County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Cropsey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Anchor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Saybrook
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Colfax
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Vermilion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Rankin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • East Lynn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Armstrong
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hoopeston
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Potomac
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Rossville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Coalton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Coalton is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalton
    • Henning
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Collison
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Alvin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Alvin is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
      • Alvin has also been known as:
      • Alvan Village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alvin <1>
  • Benton County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Buckley, with the one closest to Buckley listed first.
    • Ambia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Ambia is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Freeland Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Freeland Park is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeland Park
    • Dunn ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Dunn is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
    • Raub
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub

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

Cemeteries Near Buckley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buckley.

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

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

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

  • St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Lisk Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Del Rey Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Pine Ridge Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Cissna Park Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Thawville Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • St. John's Ash Grove Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Onarga Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onarga Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Onarga Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Onarga.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1926812 <2>
  • Pells Park Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Ash Grove Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Prospect Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (159 more) ...
    • Glen Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Melvin Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 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 Buckley had a population of 433 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Buckley had a population of 528 people.

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

  • Loda
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Loda is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loda
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Loda <1>
  • Del Rey
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
  • Thawville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Cissna Park
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Roberts
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Ridgeville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Ridgeville is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
  • Onarga
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Clarence
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Clarence is located in Ford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarence
  • Paxton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Woodworth
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
  • La Hogue
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • La Hogue is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Hogue
  • Rankin
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Claytonville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Gilman
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Melvin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Buckley ...

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 108 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buckley.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Buckley. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Buckley and those printed in the larger area surrounding Buckley.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Buckley.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Buckley:

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