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 Claus (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 Claus. 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 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.
Claus is located in Will 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 Will County: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall & Lake (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Claus. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Claus:
- Will County (The home county of Claus)
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Beecher
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Goodenow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Crete
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Steger
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Monee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- University Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Peotone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Frankfort
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Mokena
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- South Chicago Heights
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Sauk Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Ford Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Park Forest
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Richton Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Glenwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lynwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Matteson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Olympia Fields
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Flossmoor
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Homewood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- DuPage County
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Beaverville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Papineau
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Chebanse
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Grant Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Sherburnville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Illinoi
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Illiana Heights
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Litchfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Momence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Manteno
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Sun River Terrace
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Bourbonnais
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Bradley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Hopkins Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Jasper County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Forest City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- DeMotte
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- DeMotte is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeMotte
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,172 people
- DeMotte has also been known as:
- De Motte
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for DeMotte <1>
- Fair Oaks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stoutsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- Virgie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Virgie is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Cedar Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Dyer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Saint John
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Hartsdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Schererville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lowell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crown Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Lincoln Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln Village is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Village
- Munster
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- New Elliott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Illinoi
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Sumava Resorts
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Thayer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Roselawn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Morocco
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Hebron
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Porter Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
- Boone Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Boone Grove is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boone Grove
- Wheeler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Aylesworth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Aylesworth is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aylesworth
- Portage
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- South Haven
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- South Haven is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Ogden Dunes
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Valparaiso
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Babcock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Babcock is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Claus, see our County-by-County Page for Claus.
Cemeteries Near Claus ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Claus.
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 Claus - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Claus covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- St. Paulus Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Paulus Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Paulus Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northwest of Beecher.
- The St. Paulus Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2217242 <3>
- St. Luke Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Luke Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Luke Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Beecher.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107961 <3>
- St. John UCC Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Eagle Lake Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Eagle Lake Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the northeast of Beecher.
- The Eagle Lake Cemetery has also been known as:
- North Cemetery
- St. John Lutheran Church North Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105482 <3>
- Trinity Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the south of Crete.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108588 <3>
- Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Beebe's Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beebe's Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Beebe's Grove Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the east of Crete.
- The Beebe's Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
- Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2288139 <3>
- Black Walnut Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Walnut Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Black Walnut Cemetery is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the east of Monee.
- The Black Walnut Cemetery has also been known as:
- Trinity Cemetery
- Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2287816 <3>
- Crete Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crete Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Crete Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Crete.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2335374 <3>
- Continue List (292 more) ...
- Adams Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brunswick Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Zion Evangelical Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Claus in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Claus.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Claus, with the one closest to Claus listed first.
- Beecher
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Goodenow
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Eagle Lake
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Eagle Lake is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Klaasville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Klaasville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klaasville
- Crete
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sollitt
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Sollitt is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sollitt
- Brunswick
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Brunswick is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brunswick
- Monee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Peotone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Grant Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Creston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Creston is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Saint John
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Chicago Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Claus. See our List of 1890's Communities around Claus.
Newspapers Published in Claus ...
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 116 newspapers that have been published in the area around Claus.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Claus, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Claus.
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 Claus:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Iroquois County
- Kankakee County
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- Newton County
- Porter 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> | 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- Claus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Claus, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |