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 Helmar (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 Helmar. 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.
Helmar is located in Kendall 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 Kendall County: DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, La Salle & Will.
Below are the counties that are near Helmar. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Helmar:
- Kendall County (The home county of Helmar)
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Lisbon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Plattville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Millbrook
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Newark
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Plano
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Yorkville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Bristol
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Oswego
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Little Rock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Little Rock is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
- Boulder Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Montgomery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cook County
- Lemont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Sandwich
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Somonauk
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Franks
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Franks is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
- Hinckley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Waterman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Shabbona Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Shabbona Grove is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shabbona Grove
- Shabbona
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Elva
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Elva is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elva
- Cortland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- De Kalb
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Eola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Naperville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Warrenville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- West Chicago
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Chicago is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,593 people
- Woodridge
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lisle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Winfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Ingalton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ingalton is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalton
- Darien
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wheaton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Downers Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wayne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Nettle Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
- Sand Ridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Morris
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Minooka
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Claypool
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Channahon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wauponsee
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
- Carbon Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Mazon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Coal City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Diamond
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Big Rock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Sugar Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Aurora
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- North Aurora
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- North Aurora is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
- Kaneville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Mooseheart
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Batavia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Elburn
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Geneva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Maple Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bonnie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bonnie is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
- Bonnie has also been known as:
- Bonnie Valley
- Campton Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Campton Hills is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,063 people
- Campton Hills has also been known as:
- Campton Hills village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Campton Hills <1>
- Lily Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lily Lake is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lily Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,019 people
- Kankakee County
- Essex
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Millington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sheridan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Stavanger
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Stavanger is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
- Serena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Blakes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Blakes is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
- Wedron
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Baker
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Baker is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Leland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Seneca
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- 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>
- Dayton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dayton is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Marseilles
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ottawa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Earlville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Radley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Radley is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radley
- East Paw Paw
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- East Paw Paw is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Paw Paw
- Paw Paw
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Livingston County
- Sunbury
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Shorewood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Summerfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Summerfield is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
- Walker
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Walker is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Normantown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Normantown is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
- Plainfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Crystal Lawns
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
- Blodgett
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Rockdale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Rockdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
- Crest Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Joliet
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Fairmont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Fairmont is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Preston Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Preston Heights is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
- Elwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Helmar, see our County-by-County Page for Helmar.
Cemeteries Near Helmar ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Helmar.
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 Helmar - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Helmar covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Helmar Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Cross Lutheran Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pavilion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavilion Cemetery
- The Pavilion Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pavillion Cemetery
- West Lisbon Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Munger Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Plattville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Millington - Newark Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Griswold Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Darnell Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (293 more) ...
- NaAuSay Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Pine Mound Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
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>
While we didn't find Helmar in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Helmar.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Helmar, with the one closest to Helmar listed first.
- Lisbon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Pavillion
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pavillion is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavillion
- Plattville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Millbrook
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Fox
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Fox is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox
- Newark
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Millington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- White Willow ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- White Willow is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Willow
- Plano
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Nettle Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
- Yorkville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sandwich
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Norway
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Norway is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway
- Bristol
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sheridan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Helmar. See our List of 1890's Communities around Helmar.
Newspapers Published in Helmar ...
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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Helmar.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Helmar, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Helmar.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Helmar:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kendall County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Grundy County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- La Salle County
- Lee County
- Livingston 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> | 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 Helmar, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Helmar) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |