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 Griswold (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 Griswold. 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.
Griswold is located in Livingston 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 Livingston County: Ford, Grundy, Kankakee, La Salle, McLean & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Griswold. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Griswold:
- Livingston County (The home county of Griswold)
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Saunemin
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Emington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cullom
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Eylar
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Eylar is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eylar
- Wing
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Wing is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
- Charlotte
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Charlotte is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlotte
- Campus
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Swygert
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Swygert is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swygert
- Cardiff
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Odell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chatsworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Forrest
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Avoca ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Avoca is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Kempton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cabery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Piper City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sibley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Roberts
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Melvin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Garber
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Garber is located in Ford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
- Gibson City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- 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>
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Clarke City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- East Brooklyn
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- South Wilmington
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Gardner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Highland Town ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Highland Town is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Town
- Braceville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Central City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Mazon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Verona
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Kinsman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Coal City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wauponsee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- La Hogue
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- La Hogue is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Hogue
- Danforth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Ridgeville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeville is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
- Thawville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ashkum
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Clifton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Gilman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Onarga
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chebanse
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Del Rey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
- L'Erable
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Crescent City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Buckley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Buckingham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Reddick
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Herscher
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Union Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Essex
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Goodrich
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Irwin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Bonfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Otto
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Limestone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Sammons Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Sammons Point is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sammons Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
- Sammons Point has also been known as:
- Sammons Point village
- Kankakee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Aroma Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Ransom
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kernan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kernan is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
- Streator
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Marseilles
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Seneca
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Seneca is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
- Seneca has also been known as:
- Crotty
- Seneca village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Weston
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Weston is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Cropsey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Chenoa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Anchor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Meadows
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Meadows is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Colfax
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gridley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lexington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Godley
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Godley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
- Braidwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Custer Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Lakewood Shores
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
- Wilmington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Griswold, see our County-by-County Page for Griswold.
Cemeteries Near Griswold ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Griswold.
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 Griswold - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Griswold covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Sullivan Center Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sunny Slope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northwest of Emington.
- The Union Cemetery has also been known as:
- Call Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2326028 <3>
- West Lawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. John's Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Saunemin Five Mile Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Broughton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mona Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (177 more) ...
- North Apostolic Christian Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Swygert Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Avoca Twp. Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Griswold had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Griswold, with the one closest to Griswold listed first.
- Saunemin
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Scovel
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Scovel is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scovel
- Emington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cullom
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Eylar
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Eylar is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eylar
- Kempton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Charlotte
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Charlotte is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlotte
- Rugby
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Rugby is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rugby
- Campus
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cabery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Swygert
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Swygert is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swygert
- Odell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Chatsworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cayuga
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Cayuga is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
- McDowell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- McDowell is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Griswold. See our List of 1890's Communities around Griswold.
Newspapers Published in Griswold ...
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 188 newspapers that have been published in the area around Griswold.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Griswold, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Griswold.
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 Griswold:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Livingston County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Kankakee County
- La Salle County
- McLean County
- Will 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Griswold) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Griswold, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |