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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 Fountain Creek (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 Fountain Creek. 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 Fountain Creek ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Fountain Creek: Fountain Crk. (or less commonly used: Fountain Ck. or Fountain Cr.)

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

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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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.

Fountain Creek is located in Iroquois 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 Iroquois County: Ford, Kankakee, Vermilion, Benton (IN) & Newton (IN).

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

  • Iroquois County     (The home county of Fountain Creek)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • Claytonville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Goodwine
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Cissna Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Wellington
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Milford
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Schwer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Schwer is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
    • Woodworth
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
    • Stockland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Buckley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Loda
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Loda is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Loda <1>
    • Woodland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Del Rey
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
  • Champaign County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • Penfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Gifford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Ludlow
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Royal
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Royal is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Royal <1>
    • Flatville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Flatville is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
    • Rantoul
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Prospect
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Prospect is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
    • Thomasboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Ogden
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Ogden is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 787 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ogden <1>
    • Dewey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Joseph
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • Paxton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Roberts
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Melvin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Elliott
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Piper City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Gibson City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Gibson City is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,275 people
      • Gibson City has also been known as:
      • Gibson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gibson City <1>
    • Garber
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Garber is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
    • Sibley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Livingston County
    • Chatsworth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Vermilion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • East Lynn
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Rankin
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hoopeston
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Coalton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Coalton is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalton
    • Rossville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Armstrong
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Potomac
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Henning
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Alvin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Alvin is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
      • Alvin has also been known as:
      • Alvan Village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alvin <1>
    • Collison
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Bismarck
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Newtown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Newtown is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
  • Benton County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • Ambia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Ambia is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Dunn ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Dunn is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
    • Talbot
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Freeland Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Freeland Park is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeland Park
    • Boswell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Raub
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub
    • Earl Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Earl Park is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earl Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
    • Gravel Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Gravel Hill is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravel Hill
    • Fowler
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Fowler is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fowler
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,305 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fowler <1>
    • Atkinson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Atkinson is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
    • Oxford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Oxford is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,145 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oxford <1>
    • Wadena
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Wadena is located in Benton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wadena
  • Newton County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • Kentland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Newton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Newton is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
  • Warren County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Fountain Creek, with the one closest to Fountain Creek listed first.
    • Pence
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Pence is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pence
    • Hedrick
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hedrick is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
    • Sloan ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Sloan is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloan
    • Brisco ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Brisco is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisco
    • State Line City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • State Line City is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
    • State Line
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • State Line is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line
    • Old Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Old Town is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
    • West Lebanon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • West Lebanon is located in Warren County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 686 people
    • Pine Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Fountain Creek ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fountain Creek.

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 Fountain Creek - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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 Fountain Creek in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fountain Creek.

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

  • East Lynn
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Goodwine
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Claytonville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Hickman
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Hickman is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
  • Rankin
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Cissna Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Wellington
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Hoopeston
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Clarence
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Clarence is located in Ford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarence
  • Milford
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Woodworth
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
  • Blue Grass ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Blue Grass is located in Vermilion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Grass
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Schwer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Schwer is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
    • Rossville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cheneyville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Cheneyville is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheneyville

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

Newspapers Published in Fountain Creek ...

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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fountain Creek.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fountain Creek, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fountain Creek.

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 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 Fountain Creek:

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