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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 Chatham (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 Chatham. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.

Chatham is located in Sangamon 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 Sangamon County: Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery & Morgan.

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

  • Sangamon County     (The home county of Chatham)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Woodside
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Woodside is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
    • Glenarm
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Jerome
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Jerome is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
    • Southern View
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Southern View is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southern View
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,557 people
    • Curran
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Curran is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
    • Commanche Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Commanche Village is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commanche Village
    • Auburn
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Hawthorne Place
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Hawthorne Place is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne Place
    • Leland Grove
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Leland Grove is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
    • Divernon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Loami
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • New City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • New City is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Ashland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Newmansville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Old Princeton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
    • Philadelphia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Burlingame
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Zenobia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Zenobia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenobia
    • Tovey
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Tovey is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tovey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 467 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tovey <1>
    • Bulpitt
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Edinburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Jeisyville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Jeisyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeisyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Kincaid
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Sharpsburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Bolivia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
    • Langleyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Langleyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
    • Grove City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Grove City is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Clarksdale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Clarksdale is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
    • Morrisonville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Cornland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkhart
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake Fork
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Middletown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Broadwell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Blue Mound
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Niantic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Virden
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Girard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Nilwood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Modesto
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Standard City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Standard City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standard City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Palmyra
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Scottville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Carlinville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Hettick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Comer
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Comer is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comer
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Athens
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Tallula
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Petersburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Croft
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Croft is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
    • Greenview
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • White Oak
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • White Oak is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Farmersville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Waggoner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Harvel
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Raymond
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Shop Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Shop Creek is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shop Creek
    • Honey Bend
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Honey Bend is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Bend
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chatham, with the one closest to Chatham listed first.
    • Waverly
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Alexander
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Franklin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Prentice
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Pisgah
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Arnold
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Jacksonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • South Jacksonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Woodson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Literberry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Murrayville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Chatham ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chatham.

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

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

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

  • Chatham Memorial Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Chatham Community Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Easley Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Bridges Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Cloyd Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Cumberland Sugar Creek Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Sugar Creek Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Bernard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Stout Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Beck Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (327 more) ...

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 Chatham had a population of 482 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Chatham had a population of 13,159 people.

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

  • Cotton Hill
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Cotton Hill is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Hill
  • Woodside
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Woodside is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
  • Glenarm
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Auburn
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Pawnee Junction
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pawnee Junction is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pawnee Junction
  • Curran
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Curran is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
  • Divernon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Loami
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Pawnee
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • New City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • New City is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
  • Springfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Bates
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Bates is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Bradfordton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Bradfordton is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradfordton
    • Rochester
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Pasfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Pasfield is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasfield

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

Newspapers Published in Chatham ...

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 244 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chatham.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chatham, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chatham.

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 Chatham:

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 Chatham, 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 from Point A (ie- Chatham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.