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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 Coalton (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 Coalton. 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 and doctors 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.

Coalton is located in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County: Bond, Christian, Fayette, Macoupin, Madison, Sangamon & Shelby.

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

  • Montgomery County     (The home county of Coalton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Nokomis
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Wenonah
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Wenonah is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenonah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
    • Witt
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Witt is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 833 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Witt <1>
    • Ohlman
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Irving
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Fillmore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Hillsboro
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Schram City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Schram City is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schram City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 542 people
    • Chapman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
    • Butler
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Harvel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Coffeen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • Bond County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Mulberry Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Reno
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Reno is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
    • Sorento
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Smithboro
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Greenville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Pleasant Mound
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
    • Old Ripley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Rosamond
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Morrisonville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Millersville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Pana
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Pana is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,327 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pana <1>
    • Palmer
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Clarksdale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Clarksdale is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
    • Owaneco
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Velma
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Velma is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
    • Taylorville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Langleyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Langleyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
    • Zenobia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Zenobia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenobia
    • Assumption
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Effingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Beecher City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Beecher City is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
    • Moccasin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Moccasin is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moccasin
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Bingham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Bayle City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
    • Ramsey
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Dressor
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
    • Vandalia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Hagarstown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Holliday
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Holliday is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
    • Bluff City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Avena
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
    • Brownstown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Howards Point ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Howards Point is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howards Point
    • Saint Elmo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Macon County
    • Blue Mound
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Hornsby
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
    • Lake Ka-ho
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Ka-ho is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ka-ho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
      • Lake Ka-ho has also been known as:
      • Lake Ka-Ho village
    • Standard City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Standard City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standard City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Girard
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Olive
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Eagarville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • White City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • White City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
    • Nilwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Virden
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Benld
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Benld is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Benld <1>
    • East Gillespie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • East Gillespie is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gillespie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Gillespie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Madison County
    • New Douglas
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Pawnee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Commanche Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Commanche Village is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commanche Village
    • Divernon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Glenarm
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • New City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • New City is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
    • Thayer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Coalton, with the one closest to Coalton listed first.
    • Oconee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Herrick
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Tower Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Lakewood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Lakewood is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Cowden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Moweaqua
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Fancher
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Fancher is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
    • Shelbyville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Yantisville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Yantisville is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
    • Mode
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Mode is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mode

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

Cemeteries Near Coalton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Coalton.

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

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

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

  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • St. Louis Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Witt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Gooseneck Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Armentrout Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Antioch Methodist Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • St. John's Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Kettlecamp Methodist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Center Grove Methodist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Woodside Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Ohlman Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (356 more) ...
    • King Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Abner Casey Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abner Casey Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Abner Casey Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the north of Fillmore.
      • The Abner Casey Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Casey Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105053 <2>
    • Halford Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)

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 Coalton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Coalton.

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

  • Ohlman
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Irving
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Oconee
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Rosamond
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Hillsboro
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Fillmore
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Chapman
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
  • Bingham
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Morrisonville
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Butler
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Bayle City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
  • Palmer
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Pana
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Pana is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,327 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pana <1>
    • Millersville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Harvel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Coalton ...

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 88 newspapers that have been published in the area around Coalton.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Coalton, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Coalton.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Coalton:

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