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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 Compton (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 Compton. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.

Compton is located in Lee 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 Lee County: Bureau, DeKalb, La Salle, Ogle & Whiteside.

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

  • Lee County     (The home county of Compton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • The Burg
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • The Burg is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Burg
    • West Brooklyn
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Paw Paw
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • East Paw Paw
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • East Paw Paw is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Paw Paw
    • Radley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Radley is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radley
    • Sublette
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Inlet
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Inlet is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inlet
    • Lee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Lee Center
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Steward
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Ashton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Amboy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Franklin Grove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Bureau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • La Moille
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Arlington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Van Orin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Cherry
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Zearing
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Zearing is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zearing
    • Greenoak
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Greenoak is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenoak
    • Ohio
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Ladd
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Ladd is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladd
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,184 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ladd <1>
    • Dalzell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Kasbeer
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Limerick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Limerick is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limerick
    • Malden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Dover
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • Shabbona Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Shabbona Grove is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shabbona Grove
    • Shabbona
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Waterman
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Elva
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Elva is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elva
    • Malta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Franks
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Franks is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
    • Somonauk
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Hinckley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • De Kalb
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Sandwich
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Esmond
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Clare
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Coltonville ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Coltonville is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coltonville
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • Big Rock
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Maple Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Kaneville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • Little Rock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Little Rock is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
    • Millbrook
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Newark
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Plano
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Plano is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,879 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <1>
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • Mendota
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Earlville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Triumph
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Leland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Troy Grove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Baker
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Baker is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
    • Prairie Center
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Prairie Center is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Center
    • Waltham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Waltham is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waltham
    • La Salle
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Blakes
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Blakes is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
    • Serena
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Sheridan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • North Utica
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • North Utica is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Utica
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,333 people
  • Ogle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • Flagg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Flagg is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagg
    • Rochelle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Creston
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Flagg Center
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Flagg Center is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagg Center
    • Hillcrest
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Hillcrest is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,216 people
    • Carthage
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Carthage is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carthage
    • Chana
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Honey Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Honey Creek is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
    • Watertown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Watertown is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watertown
    • Holcomb
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Lindenwood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Oregon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Woosung
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Compton, with the one closest to Compton listed first.
    • Granville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Mark
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Standard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Compton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Compton.

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

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

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

  • Brooklyn Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Fisk Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Brooklyn Lutheran Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Mary's Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Union Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Cottage Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Harding Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Fourmile Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Wyoming Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Ellsworth Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Twin Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • German Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (245 more) ...
    • St. Marys Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • South Paw Paw Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • East Paw Paw Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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 Compton had a population of 234 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Compton had a population of 279 people.

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

  • West Brooklyn
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Paw Paw
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Sublette
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Meriden
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Meriden is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
  • Radley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Radley is located in Lee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radley
  • Mendota
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Rollo
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Rollo is located in DeKalb County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollo
  • Lee
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Lee Center
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Earlville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Steward
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Shabbona Grove
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Shabbona Grove is located in DeKalb County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shabbona Grove
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Shabbona
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Triumph
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Ashton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Compton ...

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 50 newspapers that have been published in the area around Compton.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Compton. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Compton and those printed in the larger area surrounding Compton.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3> of Compton.

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 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 Compton:

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 Compton, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Compton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.