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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 Duncan Mills (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 Duncan Mills. 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.

Name Variations for Duncan Mills ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Duncan Mills: Duncan Mls. (or less commonly used: Duncan Mlls.)

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Duncan Mills is located in Fulton 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 Fulton County: Knox, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Schuyler, Tazewell & Warren.

Below are the counties that are near Duncan Mills. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Duncan Mills:

  • Fulton County     (The home county of Duncan Mills)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Sepo
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Sepo is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
    • Lewistown
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Summum
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Summum is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
    • Marbletown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
    • Ipava
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Liverpool
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Cuba
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Cuba is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cuba <1>
    • Bryant
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Smithfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Astoria
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint David
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Table Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Vermont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Chandlerville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Bluff Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Jules
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Jules is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Newmansville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Beardstown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Grove
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Virginia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Burlingame
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Philadelphia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Hagener
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Hagener is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagener
  • Knox County
    • Saint Augustine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Havana
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Buzzville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Buzzville is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
    • Bath
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Long Branch
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Long Branch is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
    • Goofy Ridge
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
    • Topeka
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Poplar City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Snicarte
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Snicarte is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
    • White City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • White City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Kilbourne
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Forest City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Forest City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
    • Easton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Union
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Union is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
  • McDonough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Adair
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • New Philadelphia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • New Philadelphia is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Philadelphia
    • Industry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Bardolph
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Bushnell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Prairie City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie City is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
    • Doddsville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Doddsville is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doddsville
    • East Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • East Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
    • Lamone Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Lamone Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamone Village
    • Macomb
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Macomb is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macomb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,206 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Macomb <1>
    • University Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • University Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Village
    • Good Hope
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Oakford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Petersburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Tallula
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Glasford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Kingston Mines
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Mapleton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Trivoli
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Bluff City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Bader
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Bader is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
    • Browning
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Frederick
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Littleton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Rushville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Wayland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Wayland is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Duncan Mills, with the one closest to Duncan Mills listed first.
    • Radville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Radville is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
    • Parkland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Parkland is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
    • Talbott
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Talbott is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talbott
    • Winkel ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Winkel is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
    • Green Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Stoehrs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Stoehrs is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoehrs
    • South Pekin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • South Pekin is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pekin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
    • Midway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Midway is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Powerton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Powerton is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powerton

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

Cemeteries Near Duncan Mills ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Duncan Mills.

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 Duncan Mills - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Freeman Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Otto Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Foutch Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Waterford Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Howard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Kearney Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Danner Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Lacey Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Hart Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Providence Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (392 more) ...
    • St. Marys Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Montgomery Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Hickory Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)

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>

While we didn't find Duncan Mills in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Duncan Mills.

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

  • Sepo
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Sepo is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
  • Lewistown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Summum
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Summum is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
  • Marbletown
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
  • Havana
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Ipava
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Matanzas
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Matanzas is located in Mason County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matanzas
  • Bernadotte ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Bernadotte is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
  • Leesburg
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Leesburg is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesburg
  • Cuba
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Cuba is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,149 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cuba <1>
  • Bath
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Kelsey
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Kelsey is located in Mason County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Liverpool
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Maples Mill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Maples Mill is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maples Mill
    • Smithfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Duncan Mills ...

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 71 newspapers that have been published in the area around Duncan Mills.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Duncan Mills, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Duncan Mills.

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 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 Duncan Mills:

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 Duncan Mills, 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 from Point A (ie- Duncan Mills) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.