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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 Henderson (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 Henderson. 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 southwest 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 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 west 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.

Henderson is located in Knox 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 Knox County: Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Peoria, Stark & Warren.

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

  • Knox County     (The home county of Henderson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • Henderson Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Henderson Grove is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Grove
    • Wataga
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • East Galesburg
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • East Galesburg is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Galesburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 761 people
    • Galesburg
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Rio
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Oneida
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Knox
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Knox is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
    • Knoxville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Altona
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Appleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Appleton is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
    • Victoria
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Gilson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Dahinda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • London Mills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Avon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Ellisville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Fairview
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Farmington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Babylon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Babylon is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babylon
    • Bybee
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bybee is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
  • Henderson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • Rozetta
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Rozetta is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rozetta
    • Biggsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Biggsville is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biggsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Milroy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Milroy is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milroy
    • Media
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Media is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Media
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 93 people
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • Woodhull
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Alpha
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Ophiem
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Ophiem is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophiem
    • Bishop Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lynn Center
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Andover
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Galva
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Cambridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Orion
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Osco
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Morristown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Morristown is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morristown
    • Kewanee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Briar Bluff
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Briar Bluff is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar Bluff
  • McDonough County
    • Prairie City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Prairie City is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
  • Mercer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • North Henderson
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Alexis
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • New Windsor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • New Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Windsor
    • Windsor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 760 people
    • Norwood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Norwood is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • Burgess
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Burgess is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgess
    • Griffin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Griffin is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
    • Viola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gilchrist
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Gilchrist is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilchrist
    • Matherville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Shale City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Shale City is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shale City
    • Sherrard
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Sunbeam
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Sunbeam is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbeam
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • Elmore
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Elmore is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
    • Laura
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Elmwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Brimfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Monica
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Monica is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
  • Rock Island County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • Reynolds
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Coyne Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Coyne Center is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyne Center
    • Coal Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Oak Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 585 people
    • Taylor Ridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Stark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • La Fayette
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • West Jersey
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • West Jersey is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
    • Toulon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Wyoming
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Henderson, with the one closest to Henderson listed first.
    • Shanghai City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Shanghai City is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai City
    • Utah
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Utah is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utah
    • Surrey
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Surrey is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surrey
    • Cameron
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Gerlaw
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Monmouth
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Berwick
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Eleanor
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Eleanor is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eleanor
    • Little York
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Kirkwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Roseville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Smithshire
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Youngstown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Youngstown is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngstown

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

Cemeteries Near Henderson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Henderson.

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

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

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

  • Henderson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Gum Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • State of Illinois Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State of Illinois Cemetery
    • The State of Illinois Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Galesburg Research Cemetery
  • Rice - Blue Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Soperville Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Henderson Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Junk Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Lewis Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Rio Baptist Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rio Baptist Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Rio Baptist Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the south of Rio.
    • The Rio Baptist Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Robertson Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104621 <2>
  • Wataga Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Deatherage Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (283 more) ...
    • Robbins Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Ontario Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bruner Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)

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 Henderson had a population of 163 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Henderson had a population of 241 people.

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

  • Wataga
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Ontario
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Ontario is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
  • Galesburg
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Rio
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Utah
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Utah is located in Warren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utah
  • Oneida
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • North Henderson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Knoxville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Knox
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Knox is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
  • Surrey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Surrey is located in Warren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surrey
  • Coldbrook
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Coldbrook is located in Warren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldbrook
  • Saluda
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Saluda is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saluda
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Alexis
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Appleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Appleton is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
    • Altona
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Henderson ...

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 209 newspapers that have been published in the area around Henderson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Henderson, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Henderson.

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 Henderson:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Henderson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Henderson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.