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 Hamilton (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 Hamilton. 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 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.
Hamilton is located in Hancock 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 Hancock County: Lee (IA), Adams, Henderson, McDonough, Schuyler, Clark (MO) & Lewis (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Hamilton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hamilton:
- Hancock County (The home county of Hamilton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Warsaw
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Elvaston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Sutter
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sutter is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutter
- Basco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nauvoo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Ferris
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Powellton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Powellton is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
- Carthage
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Bentley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Bentley is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32 people
- Adrian
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- West Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- West Point is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
- Burnside
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burnside is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Chili
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chili is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chili
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Lima
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Loraine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Marcelline
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Marcelline is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcelline
- Meyer
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Meyer is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
- Mendon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Ursa
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- La Prairie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fowler
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Paloma
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Coatsburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Golden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ewbanks
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ewbanks is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewbanks
- Camp Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Iowa Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Iowa Junction is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Junction
- Lomax
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Terre Haute
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Terre Haute is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terre Haute
- Carman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- McDonough County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Colmar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Colmar is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colmar
- VIshnu Springs ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- VIshnu Springs is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for VIshnu Springs
- Tennessee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Blandinsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Colchester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Schuyler County
- Huntsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Des Moines County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Patterson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Patterson is located in Des Moines County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Middletown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Middletown is located in Des Moines County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middletown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Henry County (IA)
- Lowell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lowell is located in Henry County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- Lee County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Keokuk
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Buena Vista ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Sandusky
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sandusky is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
- Galland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Galland is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galland
- Montrose
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Vincennes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Vincennes is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vincennes
- Argyle
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Boston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Boston is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Boston
- Jeffersonville ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Jeffersonville is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffersonville
- Fort Madison
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Charleston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Charleston is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
- Donnellson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Franklin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Franklin is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
- Van Buren County (IA)
- Farmington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Clark County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Alexandria
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Francisville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Saint Francisville is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Francisville
- Wayland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Wayland is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- Dumas
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dumas is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumas
- Saint Patrick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Patrick is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
- Clark City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Clark City is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark City
- Revere
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Kahoka
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Peaksville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Peaksville is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peaksville
- Medill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Medill is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medill
- Athens
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Athens is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athens
- Neeper
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Neeper is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neeper
- Anson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Anson is located in Clark County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anson
- Lewis County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Canton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- La Grange
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Williamstown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Williamstown is located in Lewis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamstown
- Monticello
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Monticello is located in Lewis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Sellers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sellers is located in Lewis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
- Weber
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Weber is located in Lewis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
- Gilead
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gilead is located in Lewis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
- New Court Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- New Court Village is located in Lewis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Court Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hamilton, see our County-by-County Page for Hamilton.
Cemeteries Near Hamilton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hamilton.
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 Hamilton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hamilton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Greenwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Oakland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Cemetery
- The Oakland Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Keokuk (IA).
- The Oakland Cemetery has also been known as:
- Keokuk Oakland Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95674 <2>
- Keokuk National Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Catholic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sunset Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wythe Congregational Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Wythe Presbyterian Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Oiler Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Turner Plot Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista Mound Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sandusky Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (397 more) ...
- Oakland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Elvaston Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Hamilton had a population of 1,301 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Hamilton had a population of 2,673 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hamilton, with the one closest to Hamilton listed first.
- Keokuk
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Buena Vista ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Buena Vista is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Warsaw
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Alexandria
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Sandusky
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sandusky is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
- Elderville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Elderville is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elderville
- Elvaston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mooar
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mooar is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooar
- Sutter
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Sutter is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutter
- Sonora ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Sonora is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonora
- Summitville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Summitville is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summitville
- Galland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Galland is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galland
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Sugar Creek ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sugar Creek is located in Lee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Creek
- Basco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- McCall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- McCall is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCall
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hamilton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hamilton.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Hamilton ...
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 167 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hamilton.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Hamilton. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Hamilton and those printed in the larger area surrounding Hamilton.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Hamilton.
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 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 Hamilton:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Hancock County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Henderson County
- McDonough County
- Schuyler County
- Des Moines County
- Henry County
- Lee County
- Van Buren County
- Clark County
- Lewis 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 Hamilton, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Hamilton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |