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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 Columbus (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 Columbus. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Columbus is located in Adams 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 Adams County: Brown, Hancock, Pike, Schuyler, Lewis (MO) & Marion (MO).

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

  • Adams County     (The home county of Columbus)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Coatsburg
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Paloma
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Camp Point
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Fowler
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Liberty
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Burton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Burton is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton
    • Adams
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Adams is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
    • Blacks
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Blacks is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacks
    • Ewbanks
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Ewbanks is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewbanks
    • Clayton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Golden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Mendon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Mound Station
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Mound Station is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Station
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Timewell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Mount Sterling
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Hersman
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Hersman is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hersman
    • Gilbirds
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Gilbirds is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbirds
    • Ripley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Ripley is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
    • Versailles
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Cooperstown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Cooperstown is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooperstown
  • Hancock County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Chili
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Chili is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chili
    • Bowen
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • West Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • West Point is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
    • Augusta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Sutter
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Sutter is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutter
    • Basco
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Bentley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Bentley is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 32 people
    • Plymouth
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Elvaston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Carthage
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Warsaw
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hamilton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • McDonough County
    • Colmar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Colmar is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colmar
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Hull
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Kinderhook
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Spencer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Spencer is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
    • Shepherd
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Shepherd is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepherd
    • Barry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Baylis
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hadley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hadley is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadley
    • New Canton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • New Canton is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Canton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 338 people
    • New Salem
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • New Salem is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 131 people
    • Perry
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • El Dara
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Chambersburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Huntsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Camden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Wayland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Wayland is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
  • Clark County (MO)
    • Alexandria
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Lewis County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • La Grange
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Canton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Canton is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,314 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Canton <1>
    • Maywood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Maywood is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
    • Weber
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Weber is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
    • Durham
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Gilead
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Gilead is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
    • Sellers
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Sellers is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
    • Ewing
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Ewing is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewing
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ewing <1>
  • Marion County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Helton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Helton is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
    • Taylor
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Cave City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Cave City is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave City
    • Hannibal
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Hannibal is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannibal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,246 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hannibal <1>
    • Dodge City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Dodge City is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodge City
    • Oakwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Oakwood is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
    • Palmyra
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Palmyra is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,578 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Palmyra <1>
  • Pike County (MO)
    • Ashburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Ashburn is located in Pike County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashburn
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 52 people
  • Ralls County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Columbus, with the one closest to Columbus listed first.
    • Saverton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Saverton is located in Ralls County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saverton
    • New London
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Rensselaer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Rensselaer is located in Ralls County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rensselaer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people

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

Cemeteries Near Columbus ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Columbus.

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

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

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

  • Columbus Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Johnson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Wilkes Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Gray Mound Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hufnagel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Joseph Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Lierly Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Earel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Gooding Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Paloma Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Independence Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (450 more) ...
    • Nation Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Coats Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Wolf Ridge Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Columbus had a population of 201 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Columbus had a population of 96 people.

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

  • Coatsburg
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Paloma
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Camp Point
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Fowler
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Burton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Burton is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton
  • Liberty
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Adams
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Adams is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
  • Blacks
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Blacks is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacks
  • Clayton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Golden
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Mendon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Kellerville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Kellerville is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellerville
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Payson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Richfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Richfield is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richfield
    • Loraine
      (12 miles [19.3 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 Columbus. See our List of 1890's Communities around Columbus.

Newspapers Published in Columbus ...

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 87 newspapers that have been published in the area around Columbus.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Columbus, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Columbus.

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 Columbus:

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>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 Columbus, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<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 drawn from Point A (ie- Columbus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.