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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 Elba (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 Elba. 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 hospitals 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.

Elba is located in Gallatin 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 Gallatin County: Hamilton, Hardin, Saline, White, Posey (IN) & Union (KY).

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

  • Gallatin County     (The home county of Elba)
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elba, with the one closest to Elba listed first.
    • Thompsonville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Akin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Fitt's Hill ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Parrish
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Hanaford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Hanaford is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanaford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 316 people
    • Smothersville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Smothersville is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smothersville
  • Hamilton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elba, with the one closest to Elba listed first.
    • Broughton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Dale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Walpole
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Diamond City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Diamond City is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond City
    • McLeansboro
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jefferson City ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Jefferson City is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
    • Flint
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Bungay
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Macedonia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Piopolis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Lovilla
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Belle Prairie City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Belle Prairie City is located in Hamilton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
  • Hardin County
  • Johnson County
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elba, with the one closest to Elba listed first.
    • Herod
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Oak
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Hartsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Leisure City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Leisure City is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure City
    • Lusk
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Eddyville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • McCormick
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Saline County
  • White County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elba, with the one closest to Elba listed first.
    • Roland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Roland is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
    • Norris City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Herald
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Stokes
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Emma
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Enfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Carmi
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Maunie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Springerton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Crossville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Phillipstown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Phillipstown is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipstown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
    • Burnt Prairie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Mill Shoals
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elba, with the one closest to Elba listed first.
    • Hartford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Hartford is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
    • Corinth
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Corinth is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Pittsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Posey County (IN)
  • Crittenden County (KY)
    • Tolu
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Henderson County (KY)
    • Smith Mills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Smith Mills is located in Henderson County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Mills
  • Livingston County (KY)
    • Carrsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Carrsville is located in Livingston County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
  • Union County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elba, with the one closest to Elba listed first.
    • Raleigh
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Uniontown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Uniontown is located in Union County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
    • Dekoven
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Chapman
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Morganfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Grangertown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Flournoy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Sturgis
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sturgis is located in Union County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturgis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,792 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sturgis <1>
    • Breckinridge Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Breckinridge Center is located in Union County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breckinridge Center
    • Hitesville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Waverly
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Sullivan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Sullivan is located in Union County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan

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

Cemeteries Near Elba ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Elba.

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

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

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

  • Zion Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Union Chapel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Garrett Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Oak Grove Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Adkin Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Campground Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Poplar Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Jackson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Palestine #1 Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Elmwood Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Shaw Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (408 more) ...
    • Shane Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jones Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Palestine #2 Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Elba had a population of 45 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Ridgway
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Omaha
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Texas City
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Equality
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Lawler
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Eldorado
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Gossett
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Gossett is located in White County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gossett
  • Cottonwood
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Cottonwood is located in Gallatin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
  • Roland
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Roland is located in White County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
  • Norris City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Shawneetown
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Broughton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Kedron
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Kedron is located in Gallatin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kedron
    • Iron
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Iron is located in White County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron
    • Raleigh
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Elba ...

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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Elba.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Elba, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Elba.

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 Elba:

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>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 Elba, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<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- Elba) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.