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 Curtis (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 Curtis. 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 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 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.
Curtis is located in Menard 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 Menard County: Cass, Logan, Mason & Sangamon.
Below are the counties that are near Curtis. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Curtis:
- Menard County (The home county of Curtis)
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Greenview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Petersburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Athens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Oakford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Croft
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Croft is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
- Tallula
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Newmansville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Newmansville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
- Sylvan ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sylvan is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
- Ashland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gurney ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gurney is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
- Philadelphia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Philadelphia is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Chandlerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Burlingame
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burlingame is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
- Old Princeton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Old Princeton is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
- Virginia
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Jules
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Jules is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
- Bluff Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Marbletown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Marbletown is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
- Liverpool
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sepo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Summum
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Summum is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
- Lewistown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Logan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Middletown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- New Holland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Elkhart
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Broadwell
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Broadwell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Cornland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Emden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Bell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Bell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Chestervale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Chestervale is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
- Lake Fork
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Evans
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Evans is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Mason City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Teheran
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Teheran is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
- Easton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Kilbourne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Poplar City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Natrona
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Long Branch
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Long Branch is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- White City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- White City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Topeka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- San Jose
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bath
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Forest City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Prentice
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Prentice is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
- Alexander
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Literberry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Arcadia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Arcadia is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Arnold
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Arnold is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Sangamon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Cantrall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Salisbury
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Williamsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Plains
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sherman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgely
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
- Spaulding
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
- Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
- Pasfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Pasfield is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasfield
- Grandview
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Grandview is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
- Riverton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Buffalo Hart
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Buffalo Hart is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Hart
- Clear Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Lake is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Schuyler County
- Bluff City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Winkel ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Winkel is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
- Delavan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Green Valley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Parkland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Parkland is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
- Boynton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Brownwood ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Brownwood is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Radville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Radville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
- Burt
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Burt is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- South Pekin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- South Pekin is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pekin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
- Richmond
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Richmond is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Curtis, see our County-by-County Page for Curtis.
Cemeteries Near Curtis ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Curtis.
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 Curtis - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Curtis covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Godbey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Smoot Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Baker Prairie #1 Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Old Concord Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Park Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Baker Prairie #2 Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Hornback Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lebanon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kirby Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (314 more) ...
- Shipley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Concord Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oakland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
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 in 1895, Curtis had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Curtis, with the one closest to Curtis listed first.
- Greenview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Petersburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tice
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Tice is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tice
- Sweet Water
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Sweet Water is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Water
- Hill Top
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hill Top is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Top
- Athens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Atterberry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Atterberry is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atterberry
- Oakford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Loyd
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Loyd is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyd
- Cantrall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Middletown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Mason City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Tallula
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Salisbury
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Fancy Prairie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fancy Prairie is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancy Prairie
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Curtis. See our List of 1890's Communities around Curtis.
Newspapers Published in Curtis ...
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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Curtis.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Curtis, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Curtis.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Curtis:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Menard County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cass County
- Fulton County
- Logan County
- Mason County
- Morgan County
- Sangamon County
- Schuyler County
- Tazewell 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 Curtis, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Curtis) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |