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 Coal City (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 Coal City. 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 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.
Coal City is primarily located in Grundy County. A portion of Coal City extends into 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 Grundy County: Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, Livingston & Will.
Below are the counties that are near Coal City. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Coal City:
- Grundy County (The home county of Coal City)
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Diamond
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Carbon Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Central City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Braceville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Gardner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Claypool
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- East Brooklyn
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- South Wilmington
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Mazon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Clarke City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- Channahon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Cook County
- Lemont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- DeKalb County
- Sandwich
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Cabery
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Kempton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Chebanse
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clifton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Essex
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Reddick
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Union Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bonfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Buckingham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Goodrich
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Herscher
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Bourbonnais
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Irwin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Bradley
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Manteno
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Kankakee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Lisbon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Plattville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Newark
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Millbrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Oswego
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Plano
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Montgomery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Seneca
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Seneca is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
- Seneca has also been known as:
- Crotty
- Seneca village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
- Stavanger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Stavanger is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
- Marseilles
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ransom
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Millington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kernan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Kernan is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
- Blakes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Blakes is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
- Serena
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sheridan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Dayton is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Wedron
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Grand Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Ottawa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Dwight
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cardiff
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Campus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Sunbury
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Adams ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Emington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Budd
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Odell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Griswold is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
- Blackstone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Eylar
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Eylar is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eylar
- Cullom
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Missal
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Missal is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Braidwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Godley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Godley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
- Lakewood Shores
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
- Wilmington
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Custer Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Blodgett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Symerton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Elwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shorewood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Wilton Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Preston Heights
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Preston Heights is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
- Rockdale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
- Manhattan
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Coal City, see our County-by-County Page for Coal City.
Cemeteries Near Coal City ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Coal City.
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 Coal City - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Coal City covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Braceville - Gardner Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cotton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Short Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Braidwood.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rose Hill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107052 <2>
- Bohemian Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bohemian National Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Brown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Braidwood.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107252 <2>
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Wilmington.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Rose of Lima Parish Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107049 <2>
- Oakwood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Wilmington.
- The Oakwood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Oakwood Protestant Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107289 <2>
- Old Mazon Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (257 more) ...
- Holderman Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sample Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Brookside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 Coal City had a population of 1,672 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Coal City had a population of 5,351 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Coal City, with the one closest to Coal City listed first.
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Diamond
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Braceville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Braidwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mazonia
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mazonia is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazonia
- Lorenzo
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lorenzo is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorenzo
- Gardner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mazon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wilmington
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Divine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Divine is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divine
- Essex
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Custer Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Blodgett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Sand Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Ritchie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Ritchie is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Coal City. See our List of 1890's Communities around Coal City.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Coal City ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Coal City.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Coal City. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Coal City and those printed in the larger area surrounding Coal City.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4> of Coal City.
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 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 Coal City:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Grundy County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- Ford County
- Iroquois County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle County
- Livingston County
- Will 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 Coal City, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Coal City) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |