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 Fairland (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 Fairland. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Fairland is primarily located in Douglas County. A portion of Fairland extends into Champaign 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 Douglas County: Champaign, Coles, Edgar, Moultrie, Piatt & Vermilion.
Below are the counties that are near Fairland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fairland:
- Douglas County (The home county of Fairland)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Villa Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
- Murdock
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Camargo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Patterson Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Patterson Springs is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson Springs
- Newman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hayes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hayes is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Tuscola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hindsboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kemp
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kemp is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemp
- Filson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Filson is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filson
- Chicken Bristle
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Chicken Bristle is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicken Bristle
- Ficklin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Ficklin is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ficklin
- Champaign County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Longview
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Broadlands
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Philo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Pesotum
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Rutherford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Rutherford is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutherford
- Sidney
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Tolono
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Homer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mira
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Mira is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mira
- Sadorus
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Savoy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mayview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Mayview is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
- Clark County
- Westfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Coles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Oakland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Rardin
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Rardin is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rardin
- Bushton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bushton is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushton
- Saint Omer ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Saint Omer is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Omer
- Humboldt
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ashmore
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Dorans
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dorans is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorans
- Cooks Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cooks Mills is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Charleston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Mattoon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Edgar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Palermo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Palermo is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
- Hume
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Brocton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Metcalf
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Borton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Borton is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borton
- Redmon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bloomfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Bloomfield is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Chrisman
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Kansas
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Conlogue
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Conlogue is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conlogue
- Scottland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Scottland is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scottland
- Grandview
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Grandview is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
- Moultrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Cadwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
- Lovington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Piatt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Atwood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bement
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Voorhies
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- White Heath
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hammond
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Monticello
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Burrowsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Milmine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lintner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- Vermilion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Allerton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Archie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Archie is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archie
- Sidell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Fairmount
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Indianola
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Fithian
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Muncie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Busenville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Busenville is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busenville
- Ridge Farm
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Vermilion Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Vermilion Grove is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion Grove
- Oakwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Catlin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fairland, see our County-by-County Page for Fairland.
Cemeteries Near Fairland ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fairland.
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 Fairland - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fairland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Jordan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Murdock Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Cemetery
- The St. Joseph Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bongard Cemetery
- Immaculate Conception Cemetery
- Villa Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Hammett Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jessee Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. John Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
- The Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ayers Luthern Cemetery
- Lynn Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (328 more) ...
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Broadus Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Fairland had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fairland, with the one closest to Fairland listed first.
- Villa Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
- Murdock
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Broadlands
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Camargo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- West Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- West Ridge is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Ridge
- Hugo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hugo is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
- Newman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Philo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Allerton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pesotum
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hayes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hayes is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Tuscola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (21 more) ...
- Sidney
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Palermo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Palermo is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
- Tolono
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fairland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fairland.
Newspapers Published in Fairland ...
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 103 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fairland.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fairland, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fairland.
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 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 Fairland:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Douglas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Champaign County
- Clark County
- Coles County
- Edgar County
- Moultrie County
- Piatt County
- Vermilion 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 Fairland, 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- Fairland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |