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 Custer (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 Custer. 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.
Custer is located in Marshall 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 Marshall County: Bureau, La Salle, Peoria, Putnam, Stark & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Custer. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Custer:
- Marshall County (The home county of Custer)
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Evans ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Toluca
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Varna
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wenona
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- La Rose
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Henry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lacon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sparland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Hopewell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Hopewell is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Camp Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bureau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Spring Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bureau Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bureau Junction is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bureau Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Bureau Junction has also been known as:
- Bureau
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bureau Junction <1>
- De Pue
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- De Pue is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Pue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,665 people
- Dalzell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ottville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ottville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottville
- Hollowayville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hollowayville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollowayville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Seatonville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Ladd
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Milo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Milo is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Tiskilwa
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cherry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Malden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Rutland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Priscilla ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Priscilla is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priscilla
- Leeds
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Leeds is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- Lostant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lostant is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Lostant has also been known as:
- Lost Ant
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <1>
- Dana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tonica
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Leonore
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Point
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kangley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kangley is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Streator
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Vermilionville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
- Deer Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Deer Park is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Long Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Munster
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Munster is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
- Ancona
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Coalville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Coalville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Vermilion City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Vermilion City is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion City
- Flanagan
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Missal
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Missal is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
- Cornell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Graymont
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Blackstone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Budd
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Pontiac
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Gridley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Meadows
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Meadows is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Chenoa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Chillicothe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Rome
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Edelstein
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Mossville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- West Hallock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- West Hallock is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
- Keller
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Keller is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Peoria Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlap
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Magnolia
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- McNabb
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Mount Palatine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
- Granville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Standard
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Mark
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Hennepin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Putnam
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Speer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bradford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Castleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Washington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Harvard Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harvard Hills is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Hills
- Beverly Manor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Beverly Manor is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Manor
- Trailpark Gardens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Trailpark Gardens is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailpark Gardens
- Deer Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Cooper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cooper is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
- Robein
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Robein is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robein
- Sunnyland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Washburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Minonk
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Benson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Woodford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Woodford is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
- Roanoke
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Panola
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Panola is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
- Secor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Metamora
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- El Paso
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Eureka
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bay View Gardens
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bay View Gardens is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View Gardens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
- Germantown Hills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Custer, see our County-by-County Page for Custer.
Cemeteries Near Custer ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Custer.
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 Custer - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Custer covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Antioch Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- St. Anns Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cherry Point Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cumberland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Roberts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Roberts Twp. Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts Twp. Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Roberts Twp. Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the north of Varna.
- The Roberts Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hamilton Cemetery
- Myers Cemetery
- Statler Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108380 <3>
- Magnolia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Magnolia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Mary's Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (268 more) ...
- Trinity Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Martin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rutland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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 Custer in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Custer.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Custer, with the one closest to Custer listed first.
- Toluca
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Varna
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- La Rose
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Magnolia
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Wenona
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rutland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Leeds
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Leeds is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- Lostant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Lostant is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Lostant has also been known as:
- Lost Ant
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <1>
- Washburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Garfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Garfield is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garfield
- Mount Palatine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
- Minonk
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Dana
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Henry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Benson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Custer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Custer.
Newspapers Published in Custer ...
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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Custer.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Custer, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Custer.
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 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 Custer:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Marshall County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bureau County
- La Salle County
- Livingston County
- McLean County
- Peoria County
- Putnam County
- Stark County
- Tazewell County
- Woodford 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Custer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Custer, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |