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 Chapel Hill (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 Chapel Hill. 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 and doctors 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.
Chapel Hill is located in Lake 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 Lake County: Cook, McHenry, Allegan (MI), Berrien (MI), Van Buren (MI) & Kenosha (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Chapel Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Chapel Hill:
- Lake County (The home county of Chapel Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Lake Zurich
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Deer Park
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Kildeer
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- North Barrington
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- North Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,938 people
- Forest Lake
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Forest Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lake
- Long Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hawthorn Woods
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Gilmer
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gilmer is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmer
- Lake Barrington
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,840 people
- Tower Lakes
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tower Lakes is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,219 people
- Wauconda
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Fox River Valley Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Port Barrington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Port Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,481 people
- Port Barrington has also been known as:
- Port Barrington village
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Barrington
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Inverness
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Capri Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Palatine
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Barrington Hills
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Barrington Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,152 people
- Plum Grove Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- South Barrington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Barrington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,976 people
- Fairfax Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfax Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax Village
- Winthrop Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Winthrop Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop Village
- Hoffman Estates
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Arlington Heights
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Rolling Meadows
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Wheeling
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- New Lebanon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Charter Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Charter Grove is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charter Grove
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Medinah
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Roselle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bartlett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Itasca
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Keeneyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
- Bloomingdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Wood Dale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Cloverdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Addison
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Carol Stream
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Bensenville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wayne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Glendale Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- East Dundee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Carpentersville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Sleepy Hollow
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Elgin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- West Dundee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Gilberts
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Freeman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Coleman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Coleman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- South Elgin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Elgin is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
- Pingree Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Bowes Bend
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bowes Bend is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowes Bend
- Plato Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Starks
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- McHenry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Fox River Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Cary
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Trout Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
- Island Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Island Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,951 people
- Oakwood Hills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
- Barreville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Holiday Hills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
- Algonquin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lake-in-the-Hills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Prairie Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
- Lakemoor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Terra Cotta
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Crystal Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Benet Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Fossland
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Camp Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Twin Lakes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Fox River
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Salem Lakes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Woodworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Pleasant Prairie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Prairie is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,373 people
- Paddock Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Powers Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
- Slades Corners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Walworth County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Genoa City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Pell Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Zenda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Zenda is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenda
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Chapel Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Chapel Hill.
Cemeteries Near Chapel Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chapel Hill.
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 Chapel Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Chapel Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Lake Zurich Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- White Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cady Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Deer Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Fairfield Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Fairfield Cemetery is located in Forest Lake.
- The Fairfield Cemetery has also been known as:
- Fairfield - English Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105619 <2>
- St. Matthew Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sutherland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- German Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wauconda Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (353 more) ...
- Hillside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Knopf Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Long Grove 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 Chapel Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Chapel Hill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Chapel Hill, with the one closest to Chapel Hill listed first.
- Lake Zurich
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Barrington
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Long Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gilmer
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gilmer is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmer
- Palatine
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wauconda
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Diamond Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Diamond Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Lake
- Buffalo Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Aptakisic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Aptakisic is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
- Prairie View
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Prairie View is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
- Leithton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Leithton is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leithton
- Ivanhoe
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ivanhoe is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Arlington Heights
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Half Day
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Half Day is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Half Day
- Rockefeller
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rockefeller is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockefeller
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Chapel Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Chapel Hill.
Newspapers Published in Chapel Hill ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chapel Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chapel Hill, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chapel Hill.
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 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 Chapel Hill:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Lake County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- McHenry County
- Kenosha County
- Walworth 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 Chapel Hill, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Chapel Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |