RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Sangamon County >> East Springfield >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 East Springfield (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 East Springfield. 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 East Springfield ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for East Springfield: E. Springfield

You might be interested in other communities that are also named East Springfield. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for East Springfield.

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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.

East Springfield is located in Sangamon 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 Sangamon County: Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery & Morgan.

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

  • Sangamon County     (The home county of East Springfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Grandview
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Grandview is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
    • Hawthorne Place
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Hawthorne Place is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne Place
    • Springfield
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Ridgely
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
    • Clear Lake
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Clear Lake is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Jerome
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Jerome is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
    • Leland Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Leland Grove is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
    • Southern View
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Southern View is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southern View
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,557 people
    • Riverton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Rochester
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sherman
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Spaulding
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Ashland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Newmansville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Philadelphia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Burlingame
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Old Princeton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Bolivia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
    • Edinburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bulpitt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Tovey
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Tovey is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tovey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 467 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tovey <1>
    • Grove City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Grove City is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Kincaid
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Auburn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Zenobia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Zenobia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenobia
    • Jeisyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Jeisyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeisyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Sharpsburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Langleyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Langleyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
    • Taylorville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Cornland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkhart
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake Fork
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Broadwell
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Middletown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Mount Pulaski
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Chestervale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Chestervale is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
    • New Holland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Latham
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lincoln
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Chestnut
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Bell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Niantic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Blue Mound
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Boody
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Harristown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Virden
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Girard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Nilwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Modesto
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Mason City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Teheran
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Teheran is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Athens
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Croft
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Croft is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
    • Petersburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Tallula
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Oakford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • White Oak
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • White Oak is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Farmersville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Waggoner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Harvel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from East Springfield, with the one closest to East Springfield listed first.
    • Waverly
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Alexander
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Prentice
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Franklin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Arnold
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Pisgah
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Literberry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near East Springfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of East Springfield.

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 East Springfield - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Springfield.
    • The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
    • German Catholic Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104996 <2>
  • Lincoln Tomb
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Oak Ridge Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Crowder Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Roselawn Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Bissell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bissell Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Bissell Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the northeast of Springfield.
    • The Bissell Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Churchill Cemetery
    • German Prairie Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104767 <2>
  • Camp Butler National Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • McKinnie Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Rochester Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Harmony Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (304 more) ...

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>

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

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

  • Springfield
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Ridgely
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
  • Rochester
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Riverton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Woodside
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Woodside is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
  • Spaulding
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
  • Sherman
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Bradfordton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Bradfordton is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradfordton
  • Cotton Hill
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Cotton Hill is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Hill
  • Barclay
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Barclay is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclay
  • Curran
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Curran is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
  • Cantrall
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Chatham
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Dawson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Farmingdale
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Farmingdale is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmingdale

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

Newspapers Published in East Springfield ...

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 276 newspapers that have been published in the area around East Springfield.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of East Springfield, 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 East Springfield.

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 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 East Springfield:

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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- East Springfield) 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 East Springfield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.