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 Gerald (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 Gerald. 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 hospitals 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.
Gerald is located in 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 Champaign County: Douglas, Edgar, Ford, McLean, Piatt & Vermilion.
Below are the counties that are near Gerald. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gerald:
- Champaign County (The home county of Gerald)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Penfield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gifford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Royal
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Flatville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Flatville is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
- Ogden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rantoul
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Saint Joseph
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ludlow
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Thomasboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Mayview
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mayview is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
- Prospect
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Prospect is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
- Homer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Fairland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Fairland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairland
- Villa Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
- Edgar County
- Palermo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Palermo is located in Edgar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palermo
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Paxton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Elliott
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gibson City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- 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>
- Melvin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Proctor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Proctor is located in Ford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
- Roberts
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Garber
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Garber is located in Ford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Loda
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cissna Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Claytonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Goodwine
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Wellington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Buckley
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Schwer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Schwer is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
- Woodworth
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Milford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Del Rey
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
- Thawville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Stockland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Piatt County
- Mansfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Vermilion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Armstrong
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Potomac
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Collison
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fithian
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Muncie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Newtown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Newtown is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
- Henning
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Glenburn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Glenburn is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Rankin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Belgium Row
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Belgium Row is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgium Row
- Oakwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Missionfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Missionfield is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missionfield
- Benton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Ambia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ambia is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Talbot
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fountain County (IN)
- Covington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Vermillion County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Rileysburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Rileysburg is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rileysburg
- Gessie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gessie is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gessie
- Tree Spring
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Tree Spring is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tree Spring
- Perrysville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Warren County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- State Line City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- 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
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- State Line is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line
- Pence
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Pence is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pence
- Hedrick
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hedrick is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Sloan ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Sloan is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloan
- Foster
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Foster is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
- Baltimore ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Baltimore is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore
- Old Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- 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 east)
- West Lebanon is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 686 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gerald, see our County-by-County Page for Gerald.
Cemeteries Near Gerald ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gerald.
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 Gerald - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gerald covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- St. Lawrence Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Welles Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welles Cemetery
- The Welles Cemetery has also been known as:
- Comprise Cemetery
- Partlow Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partlow Cemetery
- The Partlow Cemetery has also been known as:
- New Partlow Cemetery
- Kopman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Old Partlow Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. John Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. John Lutheran Cemetery
- The St. John Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Royal St. Johns Cemetery
- Knight's Branch Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knight's Branch Cemetery
- The Knight's Branch Cemetery has also been known as:
- Endicott Cemetery
- Huls Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Tomlinson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomlinson Cemetery
- The Tomlinson Cemetery has also been known as:
- Tomlinson Pioneer Cemetery
- Embury Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Embury Cemetery
- The Embury Cemetery has also been known as:
- Embury Chapel Cemetery
- Chenoweth Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Stearns Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stearns Cemetery
- The Stearns Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Stearns Cemetery
- Continue List (257 more) ...
- Rice Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Cemetery
- The Rice Cemetery has also been known as:
- Sandbar Cemetery
- Collison Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collison Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Collison Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Collison.
- The Collison Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pilot Chapel Cemetery
- Old Collison Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Gerald in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gerald.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Gerald, with the one closest to Gerald listed first.
- Penfield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Armstrong
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hope
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Hope is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- Royal
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Gifford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Flatville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Flatville is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
- Potomac
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Blue Grass ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Grass is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Grass
- Dillsburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Dillsburg is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillsburg
- Higginsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Higginsville is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginsville
- Sellers
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sellers is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Ogden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Fithian
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Muncie
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rantoul
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Gerald. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gerald.
Newspapers Published in Gerald ...
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 130 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gerald.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gerald, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gerald.
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 Gerald:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Champaign County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Douglas County
- Edgar County
- Ford County
- Iroquois County
- Piatt County
- Vermilion County
- Benton County
- Fountain County
- Vermillion County
- Warren 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> | 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 Gerald, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Gerald) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |