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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 Harristown (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 Harristown. 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 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.

Harristown is located in Macon 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 Macon County: Christian, De Witt, Logan, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon & Shelby.

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

  • Macon County     (The home county of Harristown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Bearsdale
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bearsdale is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
    • Boody
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Niantic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Decatur
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Warrensburg
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Elwin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Forsyth
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Turpin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Turpin is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
    • Macon
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Blue Mound
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Mount Zion
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Long Creek
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Long Creek is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Mount Auburn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Grove City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Grove City is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Stonington
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Sandersville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Sandersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
    • Bolivia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
    • Edinburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Assumption
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Sharpsburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Taylorville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Velma
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Velma is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
    • Bulpitt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jeisyville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Jeisyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeisyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
  • De Witt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Rowell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Rowell is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowell
    • Kenney
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Clinton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Hallsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Hallsville is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
    • Midland City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Midland City is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland City
    • Lane
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Tabor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Tabor is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
    • Birkbeck
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Birkbeck is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birkbeck
    • Weldon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Wapella
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Waynesville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • De Witt
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • De Witt is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Witt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Latham
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Chestnut
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Pulaski
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Fork
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cornland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Beason
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Chestervale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Chestervale is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
    • Broadwell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Elkhart
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lincoln
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lawndale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
  • Moultrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Dalton City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Lake City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Lake City is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
    • Bethany
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Lovington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Dunn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunn is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
    • Cushman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cushman is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
    • Sullivan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Cadwell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
  • Piatt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Cerro Gordo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • La Place
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Lintner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Lintner is located in Piatt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
    • Cisco
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Burrowsville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
    • Milmine
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Hammond
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Voorhies
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Voorhies is located in Piatt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
    • Bement
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Monticello
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • De Land
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Illiopolis
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Mechanicsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Buffalo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Buffalo Hart
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Buffalo Hart is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Hart
    • Dawson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Riverton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Rochester
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Spaulding
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
    • Clear Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Clear Lake is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Williamsville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • New City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • New City is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
    • Grandview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Grandview is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harristown, with the one closest to Harristown listed first.
    • Moweaqua
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Yantisville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Yantisville is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
    • Findlay
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Harristown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Harristown.

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

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

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

  • Macon County Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Crum Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Harristown Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Sharon Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Whitley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Muirheid Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Brown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Hudelson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Salem Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Cemetery
    • The Salem Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Salem Church Cemetery
  • Fairlawn Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Illini Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (263 more) ...

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 Harristown had a population of 153 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Harristown had a population of 1,278 people.

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

  • Wyckles
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Wyckles is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyckles
  • Bearsdale
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bearsdale is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
  • Boody
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Niantic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Warrensburg
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Elwin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Decatur
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Forsyth
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Turpin
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Turpin is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
  • Macon
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Illiopolis
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Blue Mound
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Mount Zion
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Latham
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Auburn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Harristown ...

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 101 newspapers that have been published in the area around Harristown.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Harristown. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Harristown and those printed in the larger area surrounding Harristown.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Harristown.

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 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 Harristown:

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 Harristown, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Harristown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.