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 Gray Ford (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 Gray Ford. 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 and 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.
Gray Ford is located in Vermilion 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 Vermilion County: Champaign, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Benton (IN), Vermillion (IN) & Warren (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Gray Ford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gray Ford:
- Vermilion County (The home county of Gray Ford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Potomac
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Collison
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Armstrong
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Henning
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Newtown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Newtown is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
- Bismarck
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Rossville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Glenburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Glenburn is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Alvin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- 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>
- Belgium Row
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Belgium Row is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgium Row
- Denmark ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Denmark is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Hillery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hillery is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillery
- Champaign County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Penfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Royal
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gifford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Ogden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Flatville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Flatville is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
- Saint Joseph
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ludlow
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Rantoul
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Homer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mayview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mayview is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
- Thomasboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Prospect
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Prospect is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
- Edgar County
- Palermo
(29 miles [46.7 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 Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Paxton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Elliott
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Melvin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Roberts
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Wellington
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Claytonville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Goodwine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cissna Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Loda
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Milford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Stockland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Buckley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Schwer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Schwer is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
- Woodworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Woodland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Del Rey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
- Benton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Ambia
(20 miles [32.2 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dunn ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dunn is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
- Boswell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Freeland Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Freeland Park is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeland Park
- Fountain County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Covington
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Layton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Layton is located in Fountain County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layton
- Attica
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Stone Bluff
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Stone Bluff is located in Fountain County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Bluff
- Veedersburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Vermillion County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Rileysburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Rileysburg is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rileysburg
- Gessie
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gessie is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gessie
- Tree Spring
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Tree Spring is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tree Spring
- Perrysville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Eugene
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Eugene is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eugene
- Cayuga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cayuga is located in Vermillion County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,095 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cayuga <1>
- Warren County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Pence
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Pence is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pence
- State Line City
(15 miles [24.1 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
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- State Line is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line
- Hedrick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Hedrick is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Sloan ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sloan is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloan
- Foster
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Foster is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster
- Baltimore ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Baltimore is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore
- Old Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Old Town is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- West Lebanon
(21 miles [33.8 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
- Brisco ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Brisco is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisco
- Williamsport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Chatterton ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Chatterton is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatterton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gray Ford, see our County-by-County Page for Gray Ford.
Cemeteries Near Gray Ford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gray Ford.
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 Gray Ford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gray Ford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Potomac Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potomac Cemetery
- The Potomac Cemetery has also been known as:
- Morehead Cemetery
- Knight's Branch Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knight's Branch Cemetery
- The Knight's Branch Cemetery has also been known as:
- Endicott Cemetery
- Old Collison Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Wallace Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace Chapel Cemetery
- The Wallace Chapel Cemetery has also been known as:
- Judy Cemetery
- Porter Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Higginsville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginsville Cemetery
- The Higginsville Cemetery has also been known as:
- Smalley Cemetery
- New Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem Cemetery
- The New Salem Cemetery has also been known as:
- Salem Cemetery
- Old Partlow Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Ingersoll Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Collison Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- 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
- Workheiser Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Partlow Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Partlow Cemetery
- The Partlow Cemetery has also been known as:
- New Partlow Cemetery
- Continue List (268 more) ...
- Bethel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Embury Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Embury Cemetery
- The Embury Cemetery has also been known as:
- Embury Chapel Cemetery
- Rice Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Cemetery
- The Rice Cemetery has also been known as:
- Sandbar Cemetery
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 Gray Ford in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gray Ford.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Gray Ford, with the one closest to Gray Ford listed first.
- Potomac
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Higginsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Higginsville is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginsville
- Armstrong
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Blue Grass ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blue Grass is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Grass
- Vernal
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Vernal is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernal
- Henning
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Hope
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hope is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- Snider
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Snider is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snider
- Rayville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Rayville is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rayville
- Penfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Glenburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Glenburn is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Bismarck
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Rossville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- West Newell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- West Newell is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Newell
- Alvin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- 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>
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Gray Ford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gray Ford.
Newspapers Published in Gray Ford ...
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 193 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gray Ford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gray Ford, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gray Ford.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Gray Ford:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Vermilion County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Champaign County
- Edgar County
- Ford County
- Iroquois 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 Gray Ford, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Gray Ford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |