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 Essex (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 Essex. 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.
Essex is located in Cook 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 Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Essex. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Essex:
- Cook County (The home county of Essex)
- The following are listed by their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Brookdale
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Brookdale is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
- Chatham
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Chatham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham
- Hyde Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Washington Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Washington Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Park
- Burnside
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Burnside is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Stony Island
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Stony Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Island
- Calumet Heights
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Calumet Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calumet Heights
- South Chicago
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Chicago is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago
- Englewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Grant Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Grant Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Village
- South Englewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- South Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Englewood
- Canaryville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Canaryville is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaryville
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Hinsdale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Willowbrook
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- South Elmhurst
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Clarendon Hills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Westmont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Elmhurst
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Darien
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Utopia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Downers Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Braeside
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Braeside is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
- Ravinia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Ravinia is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
- Deerfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Goodings Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Steger
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Frankfort Square
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Homer Glen
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Homer Glen is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,281 people
- Homer Glen has also been known as:
- Homer Glen village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer Glen <1>
- Willowbrook
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Crete
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- University Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mokena
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Monee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Colonial Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Colonial Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Whiting
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- East Chicago
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hammond
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hessville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Munster
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Highland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gary
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gary is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74,693 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gary <1>
- Dyer
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Griffith
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Duneland Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Duneland Village is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duneland Village
- Ross
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Woodland Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Portage
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Burns Harbor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- South Haven
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Haven is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Wheeler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Chesterton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Porter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Babcock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Babcock is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Essex, see our County-by-County Page for Essex.
Cemeteries Near Essex ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Essex.
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 Essex - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Essex covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Oak Woods Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- St. Mary Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Mt. Greenwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107055 <2>
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Park Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ever Rest Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Beverly Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Beverly Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Beverly Cemetery has also been known as:
- Beverly Memorial Park Cemetery
- Beverly Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104753 <2>
- Lincoln Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (322 more) ...
- Chapel Hills Gardens South
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hazel Green Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
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 Essex in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Essex.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Essex, with the one closest to Essex listed first.
- Grand Crossing
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Grand Crossing is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Crossing
- South Shore
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- South Shore is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore
- Brookdale
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Brookdale is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
- Parkside
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Parkside is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkside
- Brookline
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Brookline is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookline
- Cheltenham
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Cheltenham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheltenham
- Park Manor
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Park Manor is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Manor
- Auburn Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Auburn Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn Park
- Stony Island
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Stony Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Island
- South Chicago
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Chicago is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago
- Hyde Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Englewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- South Englewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- South Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Englewood
- Kenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Kenwood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
- Brainerd
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Brainerd is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainerd
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Essex. See our List of 1890's Communities around Essex.
Newspapers Published in Essex ...
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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Essex.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Essex, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Essex.
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 Essex:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Lake County
- Will County
- Lake County
- Porter County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
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 Essex, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Essex) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |