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 Harness (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 Harness. 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.
Name Variations for Harness ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
Another variation: Haines.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Harness. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Harness.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Harness is located in Logan 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 Logan County: De Witt, Macon, Mason, McLean, Menard, Sangamon & Tazewell.
Below are the counties that are near Harness. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Harness:
- Logan County (The home county of Harness)
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- New Holland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Emden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Middletown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Bell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Evans
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Lincoln
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Broadwell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Broadwell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Lawndale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Elkhart
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Chestervale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chestervale is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
- Atlanta
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Cass County
- Newmansville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Newmansville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
- De Witt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Tabor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Tabor is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
- Waynesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Midland City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Midland City is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland City
- Hallsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Hallsville is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
- Kenney
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Liverpool
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Banner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Breeds
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
- Dunfermline
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sepo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Saint David
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bryant
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Natrona
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- San Jose
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mason City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Teheran
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Teheran is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
- Easton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Forest City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Manito
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Poplar City
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Topeka
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Goofy Ridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
- Buzzville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Buzzville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- McLean
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Stanford
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Shirley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Danvers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Danvers is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
- Danvers has also been known as:
- Danver
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <1>
- Menard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Croft
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Croft is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
- Greenview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Athens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Petersburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oakford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tallula
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Mapleton
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Kingston Mines
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Glasford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bartonville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bellevue
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bellevue is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,037 people
- Maxwell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Maxwell is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Sangamon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Williamsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Cantrall
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Buffalo Hart
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Buffalo Hart is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Hart
- Sherman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Spaulding
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
- Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
- Salisbury
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Riverton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Dawson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ridgely
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
- Buffalo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clear Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clear Lake is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Grandview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Grandview is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Winkel ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Winkel is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
- Delavan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Boynton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Green Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Brownwood ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brownwood is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Burt
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Burt is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Richmond
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Richmond is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond
- Armington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hopedale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sutter ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sutter is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutter
- Dillon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Dillon is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
- Mindale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mindale is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mindale
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Harness, see our County-by-County Page for Harness.
Cemeteries Near Harness ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Harness.
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 Harness - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Harness covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Thomas Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Cherry Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cherry Grove Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the northeast of Mason City.
- The Cherry Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Green Mound Cemetery
- Greenmound Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105119 <3>
- Stephen's Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Greenhill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Richmond Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mason City Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bratt Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratt Cemetery
- The Bratt Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Sand Hill Cemetery
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
- Allens Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Swing Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pool Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsburg Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Patterson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (307 more) ...
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Crites Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rimerman Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
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>
While we didn't find Harness in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Harness.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Harness, with the one closest to Harness listed first.
- Natrona
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- New Holland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- San Jose
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mason City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Emden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Burton View
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Burton View is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton View
- Hartsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Delavan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Middletown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Boynton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Green Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Bell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Teheran
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Teheran is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
- Greenview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lincoln
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Harness. See our List of 1890's Communities around Harness.
Newspapers Published in Harness ...
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 216 newspapers that have been published in the area around Harness.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Harness, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Harness.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Harness:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Logan County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cass County
- De Witt County
- Fulton County
- Mason County
- McLean County
- Menard County
- Peoria County
- Sangamon County
- Tazewell 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 '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- Harness) 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 Harness, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |