RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Woodford County >> El Paso >> 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 El Paso (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 El Paso. 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 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.

El Paso is located in Woodford 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 Woodford County: La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McLean, Peoria & Tazewell.

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

  • Woodford County     (The home county of El Paso)
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Panola
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Panola is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Kappa
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Kappa is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
    • Secor
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Woodford
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Woodford is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
    • Benson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Roanoke
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Minonk
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Congerville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Eureka
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Goodfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Metamora
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Washburn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Dana
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Dana is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dana <1>
    • Rutland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Leeds
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Leeds is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
    • Lostant
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Lostant is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
      • Lostant has also been known as:
      • Lost Ant
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <1>
    • Priscilla ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Priscilla is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priscilla
    • Streator
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Kangley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Kangley is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Flanagan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Graymont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Long Point
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Ancona
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Pontiac
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Pontiac is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontiac
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,176 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pontiac <1>
    • McDowell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • McDowell is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
    • Cornell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Coalville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Coalville is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
    • Avoca ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Avoca is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
    • Fairbury
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Munster
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Munster is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
    • Cayuga
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Cayuga is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Toluca
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • La Rose
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Evans ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Evans is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
    • Wenona
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Varna
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Hopewell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hopewell is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
    • Lacon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lacon is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,713 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacon <1>
    • Sparland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • McLean County
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Gridley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Hudson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Meadows
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Meadows is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
    • Carlock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lexington
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Towanda
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Yuton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Yuton is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuton
    • Chenoa
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Normal
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Danvers
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Danvers is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
      • Danvers has also been known as:
      • Danver
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <1>
    • Bloomington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Merna
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Chillicothe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Rome
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Mossville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • North Peoria
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • North Peoria is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
    • Peoria Heights
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Keller
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Keller is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
    • Peoria
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Putnam County
    • Magnolia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from El Paso, with the one closest to El Paso listed first.
    • Deer Creek
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lilly
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Lilly is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
    • Cooper
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Cooper is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
    • Washington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Mackinaw
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Mackinaw is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackinaw
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,861 people
      • Former name for Mackinaw:
      • Mackinawtown
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mackinaw <1>
    • Mayfair
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Mayfair is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfair
    • Crandall ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Crandall is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crandall
    • Allentown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Allentown is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allentown
    • Tazewell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Tazewell is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Beverly Manor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Beverly Manor is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Manor
    • Harvard Hills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Harvard Hills is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Hills
    • Morton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Morton is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,232 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Morton <1>

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

Cemeteries Near El Paso ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of El Paso.

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 El Paso - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • El Paso Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Harper Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Kappa Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Carroll Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Secor Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Centennial Chapel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Messer Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Gridley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Clayton Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Baughman Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Wilcox - Coon Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (291 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that El Paso had a population of 1,353 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, El Paso had a population of 2,700 people.

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

  • Kappa
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Kappa is located in Woodford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
  • Secor
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Gridley
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Hudson
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Benson
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Roanoke
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Meadows
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Meadows is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
  • Minonk
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Carlock
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Flanagan
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Congerville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Towanda
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Lexington
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Eureka
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Yuton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Yuton is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuton

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of El Paso ...

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 268 newspapers that have been published in the area around El Paso.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of El Paso. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of El Paso and those printed in the larger area surrounding El Paso.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of El Paso.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 El Paso:

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 El Paso, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- El Paso) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.