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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 Dillsburg (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 Dillsburg. 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 and hospitals 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.

Dillsburg 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 Dillsburg. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dillsburg:

  • Champaign County     (The home county of Dillsburg)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Gifford
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Rantoul
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Ludlow
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Flatville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Flatville is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
    • Penfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Thomasboro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Prospect
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Prospect is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
    • Royal
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Royal is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Royal <1>
    • Dewey
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Mayview
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Mayview is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
    • Saint Joseph
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Fisher
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Fisher is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,911 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fisher <1>
  • De Witt County
    • Farmer City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Douglas County
    • Fairland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Fairland is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairland
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Paxton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Elliott
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Proctor
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Proctor is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
    • Gibson City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Gibson City is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,275 people
      • Gibson City has also been known as:
      • Gibson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gibson City <1>
    • Melvin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Roberts
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Garber
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Garber is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
    • Sibley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Piper City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Iroquois County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Loda
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Loda is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Loda <1>
    • Buckley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Cissna Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Claytonville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Goodwine
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Del Rey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
    • Thawville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Wellington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodworth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
    • Onarga
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Ridgeville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Ridgeville is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
    • Schwer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Schwer is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
  • Livingston County
    • Strawn
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • McLean County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Bellflower
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Laurette
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Laurette is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurette
    • Saybrook
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Kumler
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Kumler is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kumler
    • Glen Avon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Glen Avon is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Avon
    • Anchor
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cropsey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Arrowsmith
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Piatt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Mansfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • White Heath
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Vermilion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Armstrong
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Potomac
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Rankin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Collison
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • East Lynn
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fithian
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Muncie
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Henning
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Newtown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Newtown is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
    • Glenburn
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Glenburn is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
    • Belgium Row
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Belgium Row is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgium Row
    • Oakwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Warren County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.
    • Pence
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Pence is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pence
    • State Line City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • State Line City is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
    • State Line
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • State Line is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dillsburg, see our County-by-County Page for Dillsburg.

Cemeteries Near Dillsburg ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dillsburg.

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 Dillsburg - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dillsburg covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.

  • Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
    • The Holy Sepulchre Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Catholic Cemetery
    • Rantoul Catholic Cemetery
    • Rantoul Holy Speulchre Cemetery
    • St. Malachy Cemetery
  • Huls Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Beckman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Maplewood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Eden Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden Cemetery
    • The Eden Cemetery has also been known as:
    • American Luthern Church Cemetery
  • Elmwood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Harwood Chapel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood Chapel Cemetery
    • The Harwood Chapel Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Webber Cemetery
  • Huffman Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Ludlow Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Ludlow Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southwest of Ludlow.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106685 <2>
  • Welles Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welles Cemetery
    • The Welles Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Comprise Cemetery
  • Hall Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Battershell Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (227 more) ...
    • Kopman Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • St. Lawrence Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Tomlinson Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomlinson Cemetery
      • The Tomlinson Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Tomlinson Pioneer Cemetery

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, Dillsburg had a post office and no railroad service.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Dillsburg, with the one closest to Dillsburg listed first.

  • Gifford
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Rantoul
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Flatville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Flatville is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
  • Ludlow
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Thomasboro
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Penfield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Prospect
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Prospect is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
  • Tomlinson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Tomlinson is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomlinson
  • Sellers
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Sellers is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
  • Paxton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Royal
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Royal is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Royal <1>
  • Armstrong
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Dewey
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Leverett
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Leverett is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leverett
    • Hope
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hope is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dillsburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dillsburg.

Newspapers Published in Dillsburg ...

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 84 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dillsburg.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dillsburg, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Dillsburg.

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 helpful 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 Dillsburg:

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 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dillsburg) 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 Dillsburg, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.