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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 Durley (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 Durley. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 north 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.

Durley is located in Bond 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 Bond County: Clinton, Fayette, Madison & Montgomery.

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

  • Bond County     (The home county of Durley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Greenville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Smithboro
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Mulberry Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Pleasant Mound
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
    • Reno
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Reno is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
    • Pocahontas
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Old Ripley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
    • Sorento
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Pierron
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Keyesport
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Marydale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Marydale is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
    • Boulder
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Boulder is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
    • Saint Rose
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Rose is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rose
    • Carlyle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Beckemeyer
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Breese
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Huey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Huey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huey <1>
    • Aviston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bartelso
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Germantown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Hoffman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Hagarstown
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Vandalia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Bingham
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Shobonier
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Bayle City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
    • Bluff City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Ramsey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Brownstown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Saint Paul
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
    • Dressor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
    • Avena
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
    • Loogootee
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Mount Olive
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Ka-ho
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Ka-ho is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ka-ho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
      • Lake Ka-ho has also been known as:
      • Lake Ka-Ho village
    • White City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • White City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
    • Staunton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Benld
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Benld is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Benld <1>
    • Eagarville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Hornsby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
    • Sawyerville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • East Gillespie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • East Gillespie is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gillespie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Gillespie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Clare
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Clare is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
    • Wilsonville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • New Douglas
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Grantfork
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Grantfork is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantfork
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • Sebastopol
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Sebastopol is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastopol
    • Alhambra
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Highland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Livingston
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Williamson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Marine
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Hamel
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Worden
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Saint Jacob
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fruit
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Fruit is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruit
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Vernon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Patoka
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairman
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairman is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
    • Sandoval
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Junction City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Junction City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
    • Odin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Odin is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,004 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Odin <1>
    • Alma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Central City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Central City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,107 people
    • Kinmundy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Donnellson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Coffeen
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Panama
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Chapman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
    • Fillmore
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Taylor Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Schram City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Schram City is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schram City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 542 people
    • Walshville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hillsboro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Irving
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Butler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Litchfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Durley, with the one closest to Durley listed first.
    • Oconee
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Herrick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Durley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Durley.

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

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

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

  • Mt. Moriah Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Halls Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Wright Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Hazel Dell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hazel Dell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Montrose Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Auburn Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Dunkard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hastings Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Lansing Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (396 more) ...
    • Maxey Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Seagraves Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Mulberry Grove Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)

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 Durley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Durley.

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

  • Greenville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Smithboro
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mulberry Grove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Pleasant Mound
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
  • Stubblefield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Stubblefield is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubblefield
  • Dudleyville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Dudleyville is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
  • Hookdale
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Hookdale is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookdale
  • Donnellson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Reno
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Reno is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
  • Pittsburg
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Pittsburg is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
  • Hagarstown
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Coffeen
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Old Ripley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
    • Pocahontas
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Beaver Creek
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Beaver Creek is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek

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

Newspapers Published in Durley ...

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 146 newspapers that have been published in the area around Durley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Durley, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Durley.

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 Durley:

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