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 Greenville (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 Greenville. 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.
Greenville is located in Bond County and is the County Seat.
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 Bond County: Clinton, Fayette, Madison & Montgomery.
Below are the counties that are near Greenville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Greenville:
- Bond County (The home county of Greenville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Smithboro
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Mound
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
- Mulberry Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Reno
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Reno is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Pocahontas
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Old Ripley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Old Ripley is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Sorento
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pierron
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Keyesport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Marydale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Marydale is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
- Boulder
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Boulder is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
- Saint Rose
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Rose is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rose
- Carlyle
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Beckemeyer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Breese
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Huey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Aviston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bartelso
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Germantown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Hoffman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Posey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Posey is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Hagarstown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Shobonier
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Vandalia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bingham
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Bluff City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Bayle City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bayle City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
- Saint Paul
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
- Ramsey
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Brownstown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Avena
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Avena is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
- Dressor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dressor is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
- Loogootee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Saint Peter
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Macoupin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Mount Olive
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- White City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- White City is located in Macoupin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
- Staunton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Lake Ka-ho
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Ka-ho is located in Macoupin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ka-ho
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Lake Ka-ho has also been known as:
- Lake Ka-Ho village
- Sawyerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Benld
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Eagarville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hornsby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
- Mount Clare
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Clare is located in Macoupin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
- Wilsonville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- East Gillespie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- East Gillespie is located in Macoupin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gillespie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
- Gillespie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dorchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dorchester is located in Macoupin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Grantfork
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Grantfork is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantfork
- Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
- New Douglas
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sebastopol
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sebastopol is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastopol
- Highland
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Alhambra
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Livingston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Marine
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Williamson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Saint Jacob
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Hamel
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Worden
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Fruit
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Fruit is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruit
- Troy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Vernon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Patoka
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Fairman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fairman is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
- Sandoval
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Junction City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Junction City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
- Odin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Central City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Central City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,107 people
- Alma
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Salem
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kinmundy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Donnellson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Panama
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Coffeen
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Chapman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Chapman is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Fillmore
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Taylor Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Walshville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Schram City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Schram City is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schram City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 542 people
- Hillsboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Butler
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Irving
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Litchfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Witt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Summerfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lebanon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Wamac
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wamac is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wamac
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,117 people
- New Minden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- New Minden is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Minden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Greenville, see our County-by-County Page for Greenville.
Cemeteries Near Greenville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Greenville.
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 Greenville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Greenville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Mt. Auburn Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Halls Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Montrose Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Lansing Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing Cemetery
- The Lansing Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old City Cemetery
- Sixth Street Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108270 <2>
- St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Hazel Dell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hazel Dell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Smith Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maxey Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Union Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Seagraves Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (416 more) ...
- Dunkard Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wright Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Mt. Gilead Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Greenville had a population of 1,868 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Greenville had a population of 6,365 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Greenville, with the one closest to Greenville listed first.
- Smithboro
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Stubblefield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Stubblefield is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubblefield
- Dudleyville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Dudleyville is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
- Hookdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hookdale is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookdale
- Pleasant Mound
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
- Mulberry Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Beaver Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Beaver Creek is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek
- Reno
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Reno is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Pocahontas
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tamalco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Tamalco is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamalco
- Pittsburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pittsburg is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
- Old Ripley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Old Ripley is located in Bond County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Donnellson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Keyesport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jamestown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jamestown is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Greenville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Greenville.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Greenville ...
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 181 newspapers that have been published in the area around Greenville.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Greenville. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Greenville and those printed in the larger area surrounding Greenville.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Greenville.
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 Greenville:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Bond County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clinton County
- Fayette County
- Macoupin County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Montgomery County
- Saint Clair County
- Washington 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> | 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 Greenville, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Greenville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |