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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 Claysville (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 Claysville. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Claysville 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 Claysville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Claysville:

  • Sangamon County     (The home county of Claysville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Pleasant Plains
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Salisbury
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
    • Berlin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Berlin is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
    • Pasfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Pasfield is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasfield
    • New Berlin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Curran
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Curran is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
    • Cantrall
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Loami
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Jerome
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Jerome is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
    • Leland Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Leland Grove is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
    • Ridgely
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
    • Hawthorne Place
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hawthorne Place is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne Place
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Ashland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Newmansville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Philadelphia
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Burlingame
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Old Princeton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
    • Virginia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Chandlerville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Jules
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Jules is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
    • Arenzville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Bluff Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Bolivia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
    • Edinburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Tovey
      (30 miles [48.3 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>
    • Zenobia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Zenobia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenobia
  • Fulton County
    • Marbletown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Middletown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkhart
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Cornland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Broadwell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • New Holland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake Fork
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Virden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Modesto
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Scottville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Girard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Palmyra
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • White City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • White City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Kilbourne
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Snicarte
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Snicarte is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
    • Easton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Long Branch
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Long Branch is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
    • Teheran
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Teheran is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
    • Mason City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Bath
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Poplar City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Havana
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Tallula
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Petersburg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Athens
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Oakford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Greenview
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Croft
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Croft is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
  • Montgomery County
    • White Oak
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • White Oak is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Prentice
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Alexander
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Literberry
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Arnold
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Franklin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Pisgah
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Arcadia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Arcadia is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Waverly
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Jacksonville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • South Jacksonville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Woodson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Concord
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Claysville, with the one closest to Claysville listed first.
    • Bluff City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Browning
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Claysville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Claysville.

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

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

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

  • Irwin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Pleasant Plains Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Richland Baptist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Anderson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Cogdal Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Harrison Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Salisbury Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • White Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Morgan Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Farmington Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (365 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.<4>

While we didn't find Claysville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Claysville.

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

  • Pleasant Plains
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Richland
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Richland is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
  • Loyd
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Loyd is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyd
  • Tallula
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Farmingdale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Farmingdale is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmingdale
  • Salisbury
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
  • Ashland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Berlin
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Berlin is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
  • Pasfield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Pasfield is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasfield
  • Prentice
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Prentice is located in Morgan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
  • Hill Top
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Hill Top is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Top
  • Gurney ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Gurney is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • New Berlin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Bradfordton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Bradfordton is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradfordton
    • Tice
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Tice is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tice

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

Newspapers Published in Claysville ...

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 99 newspapers that have been published in the area around Claysville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Claysville, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Claysville.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Claysville:

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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Claysville) 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 Claysville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.