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 Garfield (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 Garfield. 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 doctors and 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.
Garfield is located in La Salle 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 La Salle County: Bureau, DeKalb, Grundy, Kendall, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, Putnam & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Garfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Garfield:
- La Salle County (The home county of Garfield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Leeds
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Leeds is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- Streator
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Kangley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kangley is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Lostant
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lostant is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Lostant has also been known as:
- Lost Ant
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <1>
- Leonore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Dana
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Rutland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tonica
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Priscilla ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Priscilla is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priscilla
- Kernan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Kernan is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
- Vermilionville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
- Grand Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bureau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Spring Valley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dalzell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- De Pue
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- De Pue is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Pue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,665 people
- Ladd
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ottville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ottville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottville
- Bureau Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bureau Junction is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bureau Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Bureau Junction has also been known as:
- Bureau
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bureau Junction <1>
- Seatonville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hollowayville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hollowayville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollowayville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Cherry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Arlington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Kinsman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Highland Town ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Highland Town is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Town
- Verona
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Wauponsee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
- Mazon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Munster
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Munster is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
- Coalville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Coalville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Ancona
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Vermilion City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Vermilion City is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion City
- Long Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Missal
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Missal is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
- Blackstone
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Cornell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Flanagan
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Budd
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Graymont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Adams ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Adams is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Wenona
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Evans ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Evans is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Toluca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Varna
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- La Rose
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Henry
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lacon
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Sparland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hopewell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Hopewell is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Gridley
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Meadows
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Meadows is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Chenoa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Weston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Weston is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Peoria County
- Chillicothe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Magnolia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Mount Palatine
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
- McNabb
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Standard
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Granville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Mark
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hennepin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Putnam
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Minonk
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Woodford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Woodford is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
- Benson
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Washburn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Panola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Panola is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
- Roanoke
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- El Paso
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Secor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Kappa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Kappa is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
- Metamora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Eureka
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Garfield, see our County-by-County Page for Garfield.
Cemeteries Near Garfield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Garfield.
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 Garfield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Garfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Zion Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bethany Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Wenona Community Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Mary's Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ancona Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Moon's Point Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lostlands Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostlands Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lostlands Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the northwest of Streator.
- The Lostlands Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lost Land Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106674 <3>
- Long Point Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Defenbaugh Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Old St. Stephen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- River View Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (252 more) ...
- Naramoor Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Casimir Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Garfield had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Garfield, with the one closest to Garfield listed first.
- Leeds
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Leeds is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- Wenona
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ancona
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Reading
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Reading is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
- Coalville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Coalville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Long Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Streator
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Kangley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kangley is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Wilsman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wilsman is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsman
- Lostant
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lostant is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Lostant has also been known as:
- Lost Ant
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <1>
- Leonore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rutland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Dana
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Richards
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Richards is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richards
- Smithdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Smithdale is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithdale
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Garfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Garfield.
Newspapers Published in Garfield ...
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 146 newspapers that have been published in the area around Garfield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Garfield, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Garfield.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Garfield:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to La Salle County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bureau County
- Grundy County
- Livingston County
- Marshall County
- McLean County
- Peoria County
- Putnam County
- Woodford 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> | 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- Garfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Garfield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |