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 Choat (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 Choat. 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.
Choat is located in Massac 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 Massac County: Johnson, Pope, Pulaski, Livingston (KY) & McCracken (KY).
Below are the counties that are near Choat. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Choat:
- Massac County (The home county of Choat)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Joppa
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Metropolis
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- New Columbia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- New Columbia is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
- Massac City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Massac City is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massac City
- Big Bay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Big Bay is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
- Brookport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Unionville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Unionville is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
- Alexander County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Cairo Junction
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cairo Junction is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo Junction
- Future City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Future City is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Future City
- Cairo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tamms
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Cache
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Elco
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Frog City ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Frog City is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog City
- Hodges Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hodges Park is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodges Park
- Unity
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Diswood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Diswood is located in Alexander County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diswood
- Olive Branch
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Shetlerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Shetlerville is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shetlerville
- Mineral City ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mineral City is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral City
- Rosiclare
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Reevesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Reevesville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reevesville
- Belknap
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Grantsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Wartrace
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Wartrace is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
- Bender ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bender is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bender
- Vienna
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Cypress
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Simpson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Reynoldsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
- Buncombe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ozark
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Goreville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Dixon Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon Springs is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
- Bay City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bay City is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay City
- Rock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rock is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
- Glendale
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Glendale is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Golconda
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hamletsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Eddyville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- McCormick
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- McCormick is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
- Lusk
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lusk is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lusk
- Leisure City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Leisure City is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure City
- Hartsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsville is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
- Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oak is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
- Pulaski County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Karnak
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Grand Chain
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- New Grand Chain
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- New Grand Chain is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Grand Chain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
- Perks
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Olmsted
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Mound City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ullin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Pulaski
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Villa Ridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Villa Ridge is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Ridge
- Mounds
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Mounds is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mounds
- Population from the 2020 Census: 666 people
- Saline County
- Stonefort
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Dongola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pleasant
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Lick Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lick Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
- Mill Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Mill Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Anna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dutch Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dutch Mills is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
- Jonesboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Lake Crest
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lake Crest is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Crest
- Creal Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ballard County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Bandana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bandana is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandana
- Kevil
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ceredo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Ceredo is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceredo
- La Center
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gage
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Gage is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gage
- Lovelaceville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lovelaceville is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelaceville
- Barlow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Barlow is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 628 people
- Blandville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Blandville is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blandville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Wickliffe
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Carlisle County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Cunningham
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Kirbyton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Kirbyton is located in Carlisle County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirbyton
- Bardwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Milburn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Milburn is located in Carlisle County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milburn
- Graves County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Melber
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Melber is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melber
- Lowes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Lowes is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowes
- Boaz
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Pottsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Pottsville is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottsville
- West Viola
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- West Viola is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Viola
- Symsonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fancy Farm
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Fancy Farm is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancy Farm
- Hickory
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hickory is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory
- Westplains
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Westplains is located in Graves County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westplains
- Livingston County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Ledbetter
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Smithland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Hampton
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hampton is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- Burna
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Burna is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burna
- Carrsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Carrsville is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Lola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Lola is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lola
- Pinckneyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pinckneyville is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinckneyville
- Salem
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Salem is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Population from the 2020 Census: 717 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Salem <1>
- Tiline
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Tiline is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiline
- Marshall County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Sharpe
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sharpe is located in Marshall County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpe
- Calvert City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Calvert City is located in Marshall County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvert City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,509 people
- Calvert City has also been known as:
- Calvert
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Calvert City <1>
- Gilbertsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- McCracken County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Ragland
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ragland is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragland
- Grahamville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Grahamville is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grahamville
- Cimota City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Cimota City is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cimota City
- West Paducah
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Woodville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Woodville is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Future City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Future City
- West Future City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- West Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Future City
- Camelia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Camelia is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camelia
- Paducah
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Massac
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Massac is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massac
- Lone Oak
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Oak is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Oak
- Hendron
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hendron is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendron
- Mississippi County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Greenfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Greenfield is located in Mississippi County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Wyatt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wyatt is located in Mississippi County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Wilson City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wilson City is located in Mississippi County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Choat, see our County-by-County Page for Choat.
Cemeteries Near Choat ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Choat.
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 Choat - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Choat covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Liberty Ridge Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Aikins Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Round Spring Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Kirkendall Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Nineveh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bumgardner Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brewer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kidd Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Masonic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Massac Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Morse Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (525 more) ...
- Martin Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hopper Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Harmony Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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>
While we didn't find Choat in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Choat.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Choat, with the one closest to Choat listed first.
- Joppa
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Round Knob
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Round Knob is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Knob
- Ragland
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ragland is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragland
- Metropolis
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hillerman
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hillerman is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillerman
- New Columbia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- New Columbia is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
- Grinnell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Grinnell is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grinnell
- Grahamville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Grahamville is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grahamville
- Boaz
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Boaz is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boaz
- Big Bay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Big Bay is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
- Samoth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Samoth is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoth
- Bandana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bandana is located in Ballard County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandana
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Woodville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Woodville is located in McCracken County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Reevesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Reevesville is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reevesville
- Belknap
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Choat. See our List of 1890's Communities around Choat.
Newspapers Published in Choat ...
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 113 newspapers that have been published in the area around Choat.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Choat, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Choat.
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 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 Choat:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Massac County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alexander County
- Hardin County
- Johnson County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Saline County
- Union County
- Williamson County
- Ballard County
- Carlisle County
- Graves County
- Livingston County
- Marshall County
- McCracken County
- Mississippi 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 Choat, 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- Choat) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |