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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 Gardner (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 Gardner. 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 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.

Gardner is located in Grundy 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 Grundy County: Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, Livingston & Will.

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

  • Grundy County     (The home county of Gardner)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • South Wilmington
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
    • East Brooklyn
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
    • Braceville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Central City
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Central City is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
    • Centerville ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Centerville is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Clarke City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Clarke City is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
    • Coal City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Mazon
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Carbon Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
    • Diamond
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Highland Town ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Highland Town is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Town
    • Verona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Cabery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Kempton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Piper City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Iroquois County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Chebanse
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Clifton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ashkum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Danforth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Kankakee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Essex
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Reddick
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Union Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Buckingham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Bonfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Goodrich
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
    • Herscher
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Limestone
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Limestone is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
    • Irwin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Irwin is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • Bourbonnais
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Kankakee
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Otto
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Otto is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Lisbon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Lisbon is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
    • Plattville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Plattville is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
    • Newark
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Seneca
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Seneca is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
      • Seneca has also been known as:
      • Crotty
      • Seneca village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
    • Ransom
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Marseilles
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Stavanger
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Stavanger is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
    • Kernan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Kernan is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
    • Grand Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Streator
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Dayton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dayton is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
    • Blakes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Blakes is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
    • Millington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hitt
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Hitt is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
    • Kangley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • 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 Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Dwight
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Dwight is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,984 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dwight <1>
    • Cardiff
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Cardiff is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
    • Campus
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Sunbury
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sunbury is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
    • Emington
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Adams ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Adams is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
    • Odell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Odell is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 957 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Odell <1>
    • Budd
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Budd is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
    • Griswold
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Griswold is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
    • Eylar
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Eylar is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eylar
    • Saunemin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Blackstone
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gardner, with the one closest to Gardner listed first.
    • Godley
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Godley is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
    • Braidwood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Custer Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Custer Park is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
    • Lakewood Shores
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
    • Wilmington
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Wilmington is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
    • Blodgett
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Blodgett is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
    • Symerton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Symerton is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
    • Elwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Wilton Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Wallingford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Wallingford is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
    • Shorewood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Manhattan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Gardner ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gardner.

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

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

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

  • Cotton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Braceville - Gardner Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Grand Prairie Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Wheeler Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Goodfarm Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Old Mazon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • North Essex Twp. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Braidwood.
    • The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Rose Hill Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107052 <2>
  • Round Grove Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • South Essex Twp. Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Braidwood.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107252 <2>
  • Bohemian Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (235 more) ...
    • Bohemian National Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Brookside Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Brown Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)

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 Gardner had a population of 1,094 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Gardner had a population of 1,377 people.

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

  • Mazonia
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Mazonia is located in Grundy County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazonia
  • Braceville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Centerville ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Centerville is located in Grundy County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
  • Reddick
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Essex
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Coal City
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Mazon
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Braidwood
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Diamond
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Dwight
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Dwight is located in Livingston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,984 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dwight <1>
  • Union Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Custer Park
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Custer Park is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Verona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Campus
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Ritchie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ritchie is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Gardner ...

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 107 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gardner.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Gardner. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Gardner and those printed in the larger area surrounding Gardner.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4> of Gardner.

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 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 Gardner:

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 Gardner, 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 from Point A (ie- Gardner) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.