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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 Greenfield (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 Greenfield. 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 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.

Greenfield is located in Greene 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 Greene County: Calhoun, Jersey, Macoupin, Morgan, Pike & Scott.

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

  • Greene County     (The home county of Greenfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Wrights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockbridge
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Belltown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Belltown is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belltown
    • Carrollton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • White Hall
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Mid City ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Mid City is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mid City
    • Roodhouse
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Kane
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Walkerville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Walkerville is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkerville
    • Woody
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Woody is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woody
    • Patterson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wilmington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilmington is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
    • Eldred
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Kampsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Cliffdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cliffdale is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliffdale
    • Michael
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Hardin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Gilead
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Gilead is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
    • Star City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Star City is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
    • Hamburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Mozier
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Belleview
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Belleview is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleview
  • Jersey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Fidelity
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Jerseyville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Delhi
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Delhi is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delhi
    • McClusky
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • McClusky is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClusky
    • Spankey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Spankey is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spankey
    • Fieldon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Otterville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Otterville is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otterville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Dow
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Nutwood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Nutwood is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nutwood
    • Chautauqua
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Chautauqua is located in Jersey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
    • Elsah
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Grafton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Hagaman
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Hagaman is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagaman
    • Hettick
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Challacombe
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Challacombe is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Challacombe
    • Chesterfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Scottville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Summerville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Summerville is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerville
    • Palmyra
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Medora
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Comer
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Comer is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comer
    • Modesto
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Piasa
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Plainview
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Shipman
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Godfrey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Belmont Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Belmont Village is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont Village
    • Dorsey
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Melville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Melville is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melville
    • Altamont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Moro
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Prairietown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Prairietown is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairietown
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Waggoner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Farmersville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Shop Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Shop Creek is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shop Creek
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Murrayville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Franklin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Waverly
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Pisgah
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Lynnville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Lynnville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • South Jacksonville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Arnold
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Jacksonville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Alexander
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Chapin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Bedford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Bee Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Bee Creek is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Creek
    • Pearl
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Straut
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Straut is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Straut
    • Milton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Florence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Florence is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Lowder
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Maxwell ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Maxwell is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
    • Thayer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Loami
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Auburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • New Berlin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Greenfield, with the one closest to Greenfield listed first.
    • Manchester
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Alsey
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Glasgow
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Glasgow is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glasgow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Winchester
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Exeter
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Exeter is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
  • Saint Charles County (MO)
    • Portage Des Sioux
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Greenfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Greenfield.

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

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

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

  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Rose Hill West Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Mitchell Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Weisner Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Cannedy Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Rubican Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Hermitage Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Hardin Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hudson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Crawford Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Drake - Million Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Rives Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (431 more) ...
    • Hardcastle Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Witt Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Short Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Greenfield had a population of 1,131 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Greenfield had a population of 965 people.

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

  • Fayette
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Fayette is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
  • Rockbridge
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Wrights
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hagaman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Hagaman is located in Macoupin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagaman
  • Athensville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Athensville is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athensville
  • Kemper
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Kemper is located in Jersey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemper
  • Challacombe
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Challacombe is located in Macoupin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Challacombe
  • Chesterfield
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Reader
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Reader is located in Macoupin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reader
  • Hettick
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Scottville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Berdan
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Berdan is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berdan
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Carrollton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Enos
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Enos is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enos
    • Medora
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Greenfield ...

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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Greenfield.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Greenfield. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Greenfield and those printed in the larger area surrounding Greenfield.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3> of Greenfield.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Greenfield:

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 Greenfield, 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' (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- Greenfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.