RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Cook County >> Garfields >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Garfields (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 Garfields. 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 doctors and 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.

Garfields 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 Garfields. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Garfields:

  • Cook County     (The home county of Garfields)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Garfields, with the one closest to Garfields listed first.
    • Pacific Junction
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Pacific Junction is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific Junction
    • Moreland
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Moreland is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moreland
    • Cragin
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Cragin is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cragin
    • West Town
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • West Town is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Town
    • Grayland
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Grayland is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayland
    • Maplewood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Maplewood is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maplewood
    • Albany Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Albany Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany Park
    • Oak Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Elmwood Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Bowmanville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bowmanville is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowmanville
    • Dunning
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Dunning is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunning
    • Cicero
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • River Forest
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • DuPage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Garfields, with the one closest to Garfields listed first.
    • Elmhurst
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • South Elmhurst
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
    • Bensenville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Hinsdale
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Brook
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Brook Terrace
      (12 miles [19.3 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
    • Villa Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Villa Park is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,291 people
    • Utopia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Utopia is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
    • Wood Dale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • York Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • York Center is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
    • Clarendon Hills
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Addison
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Lombard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Garfields, with the one closest to Garfields listed first.
    • East Dundee
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Batavia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Coleman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • Elgin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Geneva
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Saint Charles
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • South Elgin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • South Elgin is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Garfields, with the one closest to Garfields listed first.
    • Braeside
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Braeside is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
    • Ravinia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Ravinia is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
    • Deerfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Highland Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Riverwoods
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Bannockburn
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Highwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Buffalo Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Aptakisic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Aptakisic is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
    • Lincolnshire
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Prairie View
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
    • Lake Forest
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Kildeer
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Garfields, with the one closest to Garfields listed first.
    • Winston Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
    • Bolingbrook
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Colonial Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Goodings Grove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Goodings Grove is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
    • Bloomfield Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
    • Homer Glen
      (23 miles [37 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>
    • Romeoville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Frankfort Square
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Frankfort Square is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
    • Mokena
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Lockport
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Frankfort
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Gilletts ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Gilletts is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
    • Fairmont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairmont is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
  • Lake County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Garfields, with the one closest to Garfields listed first.
    • Whiting
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • East Chicago
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Hammond
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hammond is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 75,342 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hammond <1>
    • Hessville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
    • Munster
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Munster is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,483 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Munster <1>
    • Highland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gary
      (29 miles [46.7 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
      (30 miles [48.3 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
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Garfields ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Garfields.

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

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

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

  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Mayrw Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Mayrw Cemetery
    • The Mt. Mayrw Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Mt. Mayriv Cemetery
  • B'nai Abraham Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Isaiah Israel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Rosemont Park Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosemont Park Cemetery
    • The Rosemont Park Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Rosemont Cemetery
  • Montrose Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Hebrew Benevolent Society Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Wunder's Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wunder's Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Wunder's Cemetery is located in Buena Park.
    • The Wunder's Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Wunders Lutheran Cemetery
  • Graceland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Getty Tomb
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Bohemian National Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohemian National Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Bohemian National Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Albany Park.
    • The Bohemian National Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Bohemian National Cemetery of Chicago
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #216236 <2>
  • St. Luke Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Luke Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Luke Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Albany Park.
    • The St. Luke Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Lucas Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107959 <2>
  • Continue List   (314 more) ...
    • Concordia Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Forest Home Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Waldheim Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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 Garfields in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Garfields.

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

  • Humboldt Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Humboldt Park is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humboldt Park
  • Pacific Junction
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Pacific Junction is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific Junction
  • Moreland
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Moreland is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moreland
  • Central Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Central Park is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Park
  • Humboldt
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Humboldt is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humboldt
  • Simons
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Simons is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simons
  • Cragin
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Cragin is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cragin
  • Hermosa
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Hermosa is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermosa
  • Austin
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Austin is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austin
  • Mandell
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Mandell is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mandell
  • Grayland
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Grayland is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayland
  • Maplewood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Maplewood is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maplewood
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Avondale
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Avondale is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
    • Irving Park
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Irving Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving Park
    • Oak Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Garfields ...

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 52 newspapers that have been published in the area around Garfields.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Garfields, there are papers which were published within 7 miles [11.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Garfields.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Garfields:

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