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 Deers (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 Deers. 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 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.
Deers is located in Champaign 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 Champaign County: Douglas, Edgar, Ford, McLean, Piatt & Vermilion.
Below are the counties that are near Deers. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Deers:
- Champaign County (The home county of Deers)
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Mira
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mira is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mira
- Sidney
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mayview
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mayview is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
- Rutherford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rutherford is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherford
- Philo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Urbana
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Joseph
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Savoy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Champaign
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Homer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Tolono
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ogden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Coles County
- Oakland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- De Witt County
- Farmer City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Fairland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Fairland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairland
- Villa Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
- Hayes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hayes is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Camargo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Murdock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Patterson Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Patterson Springs is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson Springs
- Newman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Chicken Bristle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chicken Bristle is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicken Bristle
- Tuscola
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ficklin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ficklin is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ficklin
- Garrett
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Filson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Filson is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filson
- Edgar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Palermo
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Palermo is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
- Hume
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Metcalf
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Brocton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Borton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Borton is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borton
- Chrisman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomfield is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Paxton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Proctor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Proctor is located in Ford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
- Elliott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Bellflower
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kumler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kumler is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kumler
- Laurette
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Laurette is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurette
- Piatt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- White Heath
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Mansfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Monticello
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Atwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bement
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Voorhies
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- De Land
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Milmine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hammond
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Vermilion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Fithian
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Allerton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fairmount
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Muncie
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Oakwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sidell
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Glenburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Glenburn is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Missionfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Missionfield is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missionfield
- Archie
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Archie is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archie
- Belgium Row
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Belgium Row is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgium Row
- Collison
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Newtown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Newtown is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Deers, see our County-by-County Page for Deers.
Cemeteries Near Deers ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Deers.
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 Deers - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Deers covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Bill Huss Chapel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Old Huss Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Calvary Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
- Calvary Catholic Cemetery
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Locust Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sugartree Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugartree Grove Cemetery
- The Sugartree Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Brumley Cemetery
- Bliss Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss Cemetery
- The Bliss Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Bliss Cemetery
- Champaign County Poor Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Umbenhower Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Peters Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peters Cemetery
- The Peters Cemetery has also been known as:
- Thompson Cemetery
- Patterson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (277 more) ...
- Lynn Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Clements Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Burris - Hartman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burris - Hartman Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Burris - Hartman Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northwest of Homer.
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Deers had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Deers, with the one closest to Deers listed first.
- Mira
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mira is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mira
- Sidney
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Philo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mayview
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mayview is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
- Saint Joseph
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Savoy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Champaign
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tolono
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Homer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Ogden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sellers
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sellers is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Leverett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Leverett is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leverett
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Staley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Staley is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staley
- Pesotum
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fairland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Fairland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairland
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Deers. See our List of 1890's Communities around Deers.
Newspapers Published in Deers ...
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 158 newspapers that have been published in the area around Deers.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Deers, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Deers.
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 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 Deers:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Champaign County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Coles County
- De Witt County
- Douglas County
- Edgar County
- Ford County
- McLean County
- Piatt County
- Vermilion 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Deers) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Deers, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |