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 Crainville (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 Crainville. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Crainville is located in Williamson 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 Williamson County: Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Pope, Saline & Union.
Below are the counties that are near Crainville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Crainville:
- Williamson County (The home county of Crainville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Carterville
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Energy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dewmaine
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dewmaine is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewmaine
- Colp
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Colp is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colp
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Former name for Colp:
- Colpville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colp <1>
- Cambria
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Herrin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Herrin Junction ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Herrin Junction is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrin Junction
- Blairsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Blairsville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
- Marion
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Spillertown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Spillertown is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spillertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Whiteash
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Whiteash is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteash
- Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
- Bush
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bush is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bush
- Population from the 2020 Census: 263 people
- Hurst
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Royalton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Cambon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cambon is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambon
- Plumfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Plumfield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumfield
- Zeigler
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Orient
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- West Frankfort
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- West Frankfort is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Frankfort
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,733 people
- Deering City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Deering City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering City
- Christopher
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Mulkeytown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Buckner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Coello
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- North City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- North City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
- Fitt's Hill ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fitt's Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitt's Hill
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Macedonia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Walpole
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Walpole is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walpole
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Carbondale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- De Soto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Makanda
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hallidayboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hallidayboro is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallidayboro
- Elkville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Murphysboro
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dowell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pomona
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Vergennes
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oraville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Gorham
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Ava
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Grand Tower
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Emerson City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Emerson City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson City
- Fitzgerrell ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Fitzgerrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzgerrell
- Ina
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ina is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,279 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ina <1>
- Nason
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Scheller
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Deer Ridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Deer Ridge is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Ridge
- Eagle Point Bay
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Eagle Point Bay is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Point Bay
- Goreville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Egyptian Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Egyptian Hills is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egyptian Hills
- Buncombe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- New Burnside
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ozark
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Reynoldsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
- Vienna
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Simpson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cypress
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bender ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Bender is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bender
- Wartrace
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wartrace is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Du Quoin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Du Quoin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Quoin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,591 people
- Saint Johns
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Johns is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Sunfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Sunfield is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunfield
- Pyatts
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pyatts is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyatts
- Tamaroa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Pinckneyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Denmark
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Denmark is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- McCormick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- McCormick is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
- Glendale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Glendale is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Pulaski County
- Perks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Saline County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Stonefort
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Carrier Mills
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Carrier Mills is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrier Mills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,527 people
- Former names for Carrier Mills:
- Carriers Mills
- Morrilsville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Carrier Mills <1>
- Galatia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Buena Vista
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Buena Vista is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Ledford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ledford is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledford
- Liberty
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Cornerville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cornerville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornerville
- Long Branch
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Long Branch is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Harrisburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Gaskins City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Gaskins City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskins City
- Mitchellsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Mitchellsville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchellsville
- Muddy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Raleigh
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Water Valley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Water Valley is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
- Lick Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Lick Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
- Alto Pass
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Cobden
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Pleasant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Anna
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jonesboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Dutch Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dutch Mills is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
- Wolf Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dongola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Mill Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mill Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Perry County (MO)
- Altenburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Crainville, see our County-by-County Page for Crainville.
Cemeteries Near Crainville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Crainville.
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 Crainville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Crainville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Hurricane Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- McCowen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- North Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Little Flock Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Willowrest Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- 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 southwest of Carterville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107282 <2>
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hillcrest Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Carterville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1778004 <2>
- Pigeon Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- McAlpin Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- East Lawn Memorial Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Russell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hampton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (460 more) ...
- Chamness Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bainbridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Emerson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
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 Crainville had a population of 204 people in 1895 with railroad service and no post office. In 2020, Crainville had a population of 1,419 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Crainville, with the one closest to Crainville listed first.
- Carterville
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Bainbridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bainbridge is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bainbridge
- Fredonia ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Fredonia is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Blairsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Blairsville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
- Marion
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Carbondale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Boskydell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Boskydell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boskydell
- Plumfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Plumfield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumfield
- De Soto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- New Dennison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- New Dennison is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Dennison
- Makanda
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Frankfort is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Goreville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Crab Orchard
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Crab Orchard is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crab Orchard
- Elkville
(14 miles [22.5 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 Crainville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Crainville.
Newspapers Published in Crainville ...
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 96 newspapers that have been published in the area around Crainville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Crainville, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Crainville.
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 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 Crainville:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Williamson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Hamilton County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Johnson County
- Perry County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Saline County
- Union County
- Perry 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 Crainville, 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- Crainville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |