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 Deselm (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 Deselm. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Deselm is located in Kankakee 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 Kankakee County: Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, Will, Lake (IN) & Newton (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Deselm. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Deselm:
- Kankakee County (The home county of Deselm)
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Bourbonnais
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Manteno
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bradley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bonfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Limestone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Kankakee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Goodrich
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Saint George
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Essex
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Irwin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Union Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Aroma Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Matteson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Richton Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Park Forest
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tinley Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Olympia Fields
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Orland Hills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Flossmoor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hazel Crest
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- DuPage County
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Cabery
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kempton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Diamond
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Clarke City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- Braceville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Central City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Coal City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- East Brooklyn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- South Wilmington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Carbon Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Gardner
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Channahon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Minooka
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Chebanse
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Clifton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Papineau
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- L'Erable
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Ashkum
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Beaverville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Martinton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Danforth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Plattville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Lisbon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Cardiff
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Campus
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Dwight
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cullom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Griswold is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
- Sunbury
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Symerton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Wilton Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wallingford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Custer Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Wilmington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Lakewood Shores
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
- Peotone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Manhattan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Elwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Braidwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Blodgett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Godley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Godley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Illinoi
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Schneider
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Dyer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Cedar Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lowell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Saint John
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Lake Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Sumava Resorts
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Deselm, see our County-by-County Page for Deselm.
Cemeteries Near Deselm ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Deselm.
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 Deselm - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Deselm covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- DeSelm Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Blooms Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Smith Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Schreffler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Wesley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Wesley Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<2> to the east of Braidwood.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108794 <3>
- Beach Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- McGillivray Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Seaver Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seaver Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Seaver Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the west of Peotone.
- The Seaver Cemetery has also been known as:
- Huycks Grove Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2320897 <3>
- West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the west of Peotone.
- The West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery has also been known as:
- West Peotone Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108811 <3>
- Limestone Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone Cemetery
- The Limestone Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hawkins Cemetery
- All Saint Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (251 more) ...
- Mt. St. Patrick Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wilton Center Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Deselm had a population of 43 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Deselm, with the one closest to Deselm listed first.
- Symerton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Ritchie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ritchie is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie
- Bonfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Wallingford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Custer Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Greenwich
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Greenwich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
- Wilmington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Goodrich
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Kankakee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Essex
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Peotone
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Exline
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Exline is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
- Elwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Manhattan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Deselm. See our List of 1890's Communities around Deselm.
Newspapers Published in Deselm ...
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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Deselm.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Deselm, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Deselm.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Deselm:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kankakee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Kendall County
- Livingston County
- Will County
- Lake County
- Newton 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Deselm) 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 Deselm, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |