RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Iroquois County >> Coaler >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Coaler (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 Coaler. 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 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 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.

Coaler is located in Iroquois 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 Iroquois County: Ford, Kankakee, Vermilion, Benton (IN) & Newton (IN).

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

  • Iroquois County     (The home county of Coaler)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Watseka
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Woodland
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Schwer
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Schwer is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
    • Crescent City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Sheldon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Milford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Woodworth
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
    • Iroquois
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Effner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Effner is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Effner
    • Martinton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Donovan
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Stockland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Goodwine
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Piper City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Roberts
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Paxton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Cabery
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Kempton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Melvin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Kankakee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Saint Anne
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Sammons Point
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Sammons Point is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sammons Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
      • Sammons Point has also been known as:
      • Sammons Point village
    • Otto
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Otto is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
    • Aroma Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Hopkins Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Irwin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Irwin is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • Kankakee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Sun River Terrace
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
    • Limestone
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Limestone is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
    • Herscher
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bradley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Litchfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
    • Momence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Charlotte
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Charlotte is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlotte
    • Chatsworth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Cullom
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Vermilion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • East Lynn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Hoopeston
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Rankin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Coalton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Coalton is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalton
    • Rossville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Alvin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Alvin is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
      • Alvin has also been known as:
      • Alvan Village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alvin <1>
    • Henning
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Potomac
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Benton County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Raub
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub
    • Freeland Park
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Freeland Park is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeland Park
    • Earl Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Earl Park is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earl Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
    • Dunn ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunn is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
    • Gravel Hill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Gravel Hill is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravel Hill
    • Ambia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ambia is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Talbot
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Fowler
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Fowler is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fowler
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,305 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fowler <1>
    • Wadena
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Wadena is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wadena
    • Boswell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Atkinson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Atkinson is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
    • Oxford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Oxford is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,145 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
  • Jasper County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Egypt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Egypt is located in Jasper County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
    • Remington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Newton County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Kentland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Newton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Newton is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
    • Beaver City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
    • Brook
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Brook is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brook
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 941 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brook <1>
    • Morocco
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Morocco is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morocco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,086 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Morocco <1>
    • Goodland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Foresman
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Foresman is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foresman
    • Mount Ayr
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Ayr is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ayr
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Lake Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
  • Warren County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coaler, with the one closest to Coaler listed first.
    • Pence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Pence is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pence
    • Brisco ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Brisco is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisco

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

Cemeteries Near Coaler ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Coaler.

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

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

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

  • Keen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Body Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Belmont Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Iroquois Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Gard Army of the Republic Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Chamberlain Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Roberts Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Vennum Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Pierce Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Texas Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (157 more) ...
    • Schwer Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Lyman Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)

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>

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

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

  • Watseka
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Eastburn
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Eastburn is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastburn
  • Schwer
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Schwer is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
  • Crescent City
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Woodworth
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
  • Milford
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Sheldon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Iroquois
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Effner
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Effner is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Effner
  • Effner
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Effner is located in Newton County (IN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Effner
  • Stockland
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Donovan
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Martinton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Goodwine
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Hickman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Hickman is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman

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

Newspapers Published in Coaler ...

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 215 newspapers that have been published in the area around Coaler.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Coaler, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Coaler.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Coaler:

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 Coaler, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Coaler) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.